Semin Neurol 2012; 32(01): 075-084
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1306390
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Recognition and Diagnosis of Neuro-Ichthyotic Syndromes

William B. Rizzo
1   Department of Pediatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
,
Sabrina Malone Jenkens
1   Department of Pediatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
,
Philip Boucher
1   Department of Pediatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
› Author Affiliations
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Publication History

Publication Date:
15 March 2012 (online)

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Abstract

The combination of neurologic disease and ichthyosis defines a heterogeneous group of rare inherited disorders that present in infancy through early adulthood. Although affected patients share the cutaneous feature of ichthyosis, there is variability in the nature and severity of neurologic disease. Impaired cognition, spasticity, sensorineural deafness, visual impairment, and/or seizures are the primary neurologic findings. Most of these disorders are caused by genetic defects in lipid metabolism, glycoprotein synthesis, or intracellular vesicle trafficking. The clinical features of some of the neuro-ichthyoses are distinct enough to allow their clinical recognition, but confirmatory biochemical or genetic tests are necessary for accurate diagnosis. Treatment of the ichthyosis is largely symptomatic, and except for Refsum's disease, there are no effective pathogenesis-based therapies for the neurologic disease.