A case of adult-onset metachromatic leukodystrophy beginning with behavioral symtoms

Metachromatic leukodystrophy is a rare inherited disorder of the nervous system with great clinical variability characterized by loss of both cognitive and motor functions upon extensive white matter damage by the accumulation of sulfatides. Although metachromatic leukodystrophy usually affects chil...

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Main Authors: Hazan Tunalı, Süheyla Ünal, Ceren Acar, Emel Sağlar Özer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: ANP Publishing 2023-03-01
Series:Klinik Psikiyatri Dergisi
Subjects:
Online Access:https://jag.journalagent.com/z4/download_fulltext.asp?pdir=kpd&un=KPD-43402
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author Hazan Tunalı
Süheyla Ünal
Ceren Acar
Emel Sağlar Özer
author_facet Hazan Tunalı
Süheyla Ünal
Ceren Acar
Emel Sağlar Özer
author_sort Hazan Tunalı
collection DOAJ
description Metachromatic leukodystrophy is a rare inherited disorder of the nervous system with great clinical variability characterized by loss of both cognitive and motor functions upon extensive white matter damage by the accumulation of sulfatides. Although metachromatic leukodystrophy usually affects children, many cases of adult leukodystrophy have been reported in the literature in the last few years. Adult-onset leukodystrophy typically presents with a progressive syndrome that includes various combinations of cognitive impairment, spasticity, apraxia, ataxia, and upper motor neuron manifestations. In this article, we decided to present this case to draw attention to the fact that the adult form of metachromatic leukodystrophy, which presents with psychotic symptoms and behavioral problems, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of psychotic pictures. In a 48-year-old male patient who did not have any psychiatric or neurological problems before, symptoms such as meaningless shouting, running away from home, restlessness, and audio-visual hallucinations were added to the clinical picture that started with confusion and disorganized behavior in a short time. MRI, plasma aryl sulfatase A level (ARSA) and gene analysis were performed for differential diagnosis in the patient. It is known that the patient has a sibling who died before the age of one, and two nephews diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Heterozygous c.1283C>A (p P428Q) mutation was detected in the patient, which was not previously reported in the literature or mutation databases. The chromosomal region-22q13.33- in which the ARSA gene with this mutation is located is also a candidate region for autism. In this respect, it was thought that this mutation might be related to disorganized behavioral problems.
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spelling doaj.art-cc7c447a3af84a77a68ed300b36cc2382023-03-16T08:46:02ZengANP PublishingKlinik Psikiyatri Dergisi1302-00992023-03-01261697510.5505/kpd.2023.43402KPD-43402A case of adult-onset metachromatic leukodystrophy beginning with behavioral symtomsHazan Tunalı0Süheyla Ünal1Ceren Acar2Emel Sağlar Özer3Department Of Psychiatry, Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Training And Research Hospital, Bursa, TurkeyDepartment Of Psychiatry, University Of Health Science, Bursa Medical School, Bursa City Hospital, Bursa, TurkeyInonu University, Faculty Of Scince And Literature, Department Of Molecular Biology And Genetics, Malatya, TurkeyHacettepe University, Department Of Biology, Faculty Of Science, Beytepe, Ankara, TurkeyMetachromatic leukodystrophy is a rare inherited disorder of the nervous system with great clinical variability characterized by loss of both cognitive and motor functions upon extensive white matter damage by the accumulation of sulfatides. Although metachromatic leukodystrophy usually affects children, many cases of adult leukodystrophy have been reported in the literature in the last few years. Adult-onset leukodystrophy typically presents with a progressive syndrome that includes various combinations of cognitive impairment, spasticity, apraxia, ataxia, and upper motor neuron manifestations. In this article, we decided to present this case to draw attention to the fact that the adult form of metachromatic leukodystrophy, which presents with psychotic symptoms and behavioral problems, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of psychotic pictures. In a 48-year-old male patient who did not have any psychiatric or neurological problems before, symptoms such as meaningless shouting, running away from home, restlessness, and audio-visual hallucinations were added to the clinical picture that started with confusion and disorganized behavior in a short time. MRI, plasma aryl sulfatase A level (ARSA) and gene analysis were performed for differential diagnosis in the patient. It is known that the patient has a sibling who died before the age of one, and two nephews diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Heterozygous c.1283C>A (p P428Q) mutation was detected in the patient, which was not previously reported in the literature or mutation databases. The chromosomal region-22q13.33- in which the ARSA gene with this mutation is located is also a candidate region for autism. In this respect, it was thought that this mutation might be related to disorganized behavioral problems.https://jag.journalagent.com/z4/download_fulltext.asp?pdir=kpd&un=KPD-43402adult metachromatic leukodystrophypsychosisneurologic symptomsarsa genemutation
spellingShingle Hazan Tunalı
Süheyla Ünal
Ceren Acar
Emel Sağlar Özer
A case of adult-onset metachromatic leukodystrophy beginning with behavioral symtoms
Klinik Psikiyatri Dergisi
adult metachromatic leukodystrophy
psychosis
neurologic symptoms
arsa gene
mutation
title A case of adult-onset metachromatic leukodystrophy beginning with behavioral symtoms
title_full A case of adult-onset metachromatic leukodystrophy beginning with behavioral symtoms
title_fullStr A case of adult-onset metachromatic leukodystrophy beginning with behavioral symtoms
title_full_unstemmed A case of adult-onset metachromatic leukodystrophy beginning with behavioral symtoms
title_short A case of adult-onset metachromatic leukodystrophy beginning with behavioral symtoms
title_sort case of adult onset metachromatic leukodystrophy beginning with behavioral symtoms
topic adult metachromatic leukodystrophy
psychosis
neurologic symptoms
arsa gene
mutation
url https://jag.journalagent.com/z4/download_fulltext.asp?pdir=kpd&un=KPD-43402
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