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Leucoencephalopathy with vanishing white matter may cause progressive myoclonus epilepsy
Author(s) -
Jansen An C.,
Andermann Eva,
Niel Florence,
Creveaux Isabelle,
BoespflugTanguy Odile,
Andermann Frederick
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
epilepsia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.687
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1528-1167
pISSN - 0013-9580
DOI - 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2008.01542.x
Subject(s) - progressive myoclonus epilepsy , white matter , myoclonus , epilepsy , mutation , medicine , pathology , neuroscience , psychology , magnetic resonance imaging , biology , genetics , gene , radiology
SummaryLeucoencephalopathy with vanishing white matter (VWM) is caused by mutations in the genes encoding for one of the five subunits that constitute the eukaryotic initiation factor 2B (eIF2B), and is characterized by a highly suggestive MRI pattern indicating vanishing of the cerebral white matter. Seizures are well known to occur in VWM disease, but usually do not represent a prominent feature. We report a 40‐year‐old man who was diagnosed with progressive myoclonus epilepsy in his twenties. All major causes of progressive myoclonus epilepsy (PME) were excluded. Brain MRI showed extensive white matter involvement. Mutation analysis of the EIF2B5 gene revealed a homozygous c.338G>A (p.Arg113His) mutation.