Entry - #601152 - NEUROPATHY, HEREDITARY MOTOR AND SENSORY, TYPE VIA, WITH OPTIC ATROPHY; HMSN6A - OMIM
# 601152

NEUROPATHY, HEREDITARY MOTOR AND SENSORY, TYPE VIA, WITH OPTIC ATROPHY; HMSN6A


Alternative titles; symbols

HMSN VIA
NEUROPATHY, HEREDITARY MOTOR AND SENSORY, TYPE VI; HMSN6
PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND OPTIC ATROPHY
CHARCOT-MARIE-TOOTH DISEASE, TYPE 6A; CMT6A
CHARCOT-MARIE-TOOTH DISEASE, TYPE 6; CMT6


Phenotype-Gene Relationships

Location Phenotype Phenotype
MIM number
Inheritance Phenotype
mapping key
Gene/Locus Gene/Locus
MIM number
1p36.22 Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy VIA 601152 AD 3 MFN2 608507
Clinical Synopsis
 
Phenotypic Series
 

INHERITANCE
- Autosomal dominant
HEAD & NECK
Ears
- Hearing loss, mild (rare)
- Tinnitus (rare)
Eyes
- Optic atrophy
- Pale optic disks
- Subacute deterioration of visual acuity
- Color vision defects
- Central scotoma
- Abnormal visual-evoked potentials
- Recovery of visual acuity occurs in 60% of patients
- Cogwheel ocular pursuit
- Dysmetric saccades
Nose
- Anosmia (rare)
RESPIRATORY
Larynx
- Vocal cord paresis in severe cases
SKELETAL
Spine
- Scoliosis in severe cases
- Lumbar hyperlordosis
Feet
- Pes cavus
NEUROLOGIC
Peripheral Nervous System
- Distal limb muscle weakness due to peripheral neuropathy
- Distal limb muscle atrophy due to peripheral neuropathy
- 'Steppage' gait
- Positive Romberg sign
- Most patients become wheelchair-bound
- Proximal muscle weakness
- Distal sensory impairment of all modalities
- Hyporeflexia
- Areflexia
- Normal or mildly decreased motor nerve conduction velocity (NCV) (greater than 38 m/s)
- Nerve biopsy shows axonal degeneration/regeneration
MISCELLANEOUS
- Early onset of peripheral neuropathy (mean 2.1 years, range 1 to 10 years)
- Later onset of optic atrophy (mean 19 years, range 5 to 50 years)
- Incomplete penetrance of optic atrophy
- Allelic disorder to Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2A2 (CMT2A2, 609260)
- Autosomal recessive inheritance has also been reported
MOLECULAR BASIS
- Caused by mutations in the mitofusin 2 gene (MFN2, 608507.0009)
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease - PS118220 - 82 Entries
Location Phenotype Inheritance Phenotype
mapping key
Phenotype
MIM number
Gene/Locus Gene/Locus
MIM number
1p36.31 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, recessive intermediate C AR 3 615376 PLEKHG5 611101
1p36.22 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 2A1 AD 3 118210 KIF1B 605995
1p36.22 Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy VIA AD 3 601152 MFN2 608507
1p36.22 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2A2B AR 3 617087 MFN2 608507
1p36.22 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2A2A AD 3 609260 MFN2 608507
1p35.1 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, dominant intermediate C AD 3 608323 YARS1 603623
1p13.1 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2DD AD 3 618036 ATP1A1 182310
1q22 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 2B1 AR 3 605588 LMNA 150330
1q23.2 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2FF AD 3 619519 CADM3 609743
1q23.3 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 2J AD 3 607736 MPZ 159440
1q23.3 Dejerine-Sottas disease AD, AR 3 145900 MPZ 159440
1q23.3 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 2I AD 3 607677 MPZ 159440
1q23.3 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 1B AD 3 118200 MPZ 159440
1q23.3 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, dominant intermediate D AD 3 607791 MPZ 159440
2p23.3 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2EE AR 3 618400 MPV17 137960
3q21.3 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 2B AD 3 600882 RAB7 602298
3q25.2 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2T AD, AR 3 617017 MME 120520
3q26.33 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, dominant intermediate F AD 3 615185 GNB4 610863
4q31.3 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 2R AR 3 615490 TRIM2 614141
5q31.3 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2W AD 3 616625 HARS1 142810
5q32 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 4C AR 3 601596 SH3TC2 608206
6p21.31 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, demyelinating, type 1J AD 3 620111 ITPR3 147267
6q21 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 4J AR 3 611228 FIG4 609390
7p14.3 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 2D AD 3 601472 GARS1 600287
7q11.23 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2F AD 3 606595 HSPB1 602195
8p21.2 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 2E AD 3 607684 NEFL 162280
8p21.2 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 1F AD, AR 3 607734 NEFL 162280
8p21.2 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, dominant intermediate G AD 3 617882 NEFL 162280
8q13-q23 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2H AR 2 607731 CMT2H 607731
8q21.11 {?Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, autosomal dominant, type 2K, modifier of} AD, AR 3 607831 JPH1 605266
8q21.11 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, with vocal cord paresis AR 3 607706 GDAP1 606598
8q21.11 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 4A AR 3 214400 GDAP1 606598
8q21.11 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2K AD, AR 3 607831 GDAP1 606598
8q21.11 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, recessive intermediate, A AR 3 608340 GDAP1 606598
8q21.13 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, demyelinating, type 1G AD 3 618279 PMP2 170715
8q24.22 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 4D AR 3 601455 NDRG1 605262
9p13.3 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 2Y AD 3 616687 VCP 601023
9q33.3-q34.11 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2P AD, AR 3 614436 LRSAM1 610933
9q34.2 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 4K AR 3 616684 SURF1 185620
10p14 ?Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2Q AD 3 615025 DHTKD1 614984
10q21.3 Hypomyelinating neuropathy, congenital, 1 AD, AR 3 605253 EGR2 129010
10q21.3 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 1D AD 3 607678 EGR2 129010
10q21.3 Dejerine-Sottas disease AD, AR 3 145900 EGR2 129010
10q22.1 Neuropathy, hereditary motor and sensory, Russe type AR 3 605285 HK1 142600
10q24.32 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2GG AD 3 606483 GBF1 603698
10q26.11 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2JJ AD 3 621095 BAG3 603883
11p15.4 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 4B2 AR 3 604563 SBF2 607697
11q13.3 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2S AR 3 616155 IGHMBP2 600502
11q21 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 4B1 AR 3 601382 MTMR2 603557
12p11.21 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 4H AR 3 609311 FGD4 611104
12q13.3 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2U AD 3 616280 MARS1 156560
12q23.3 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, demyelinating, type 1I AD 3 619742 POLR3B 614366
12q24.11 Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy, type IIc AD 3 606071 TRPV4 605427
12q24.23 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2L AD 3 608673 HSPB8 608014
12q24.31 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, recessive intermediate D AR 3 616039 COX6A1 602072
14q32.12 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, demyelinating, type 1H AD 3 619764 FBLN5 604580
14q32.31 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2O AD 3 614228 DYNC1H1 600112
14q32.33 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, dominant intermediate E AD 3 614455 INF2 610982
15q14 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2II AD 3 620068 SLC12A6 604878
15q21.1 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2X AR 3 616668 SPG11 610844
16p13.13 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 1C AD 3 601098 LITAF 603795
16q22.1 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2N AD 3 613287 AARS1 601065
16q23.1 ?Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, recessive intermediate, B AR 3 613641 KARS1 601421
17p12 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 1E AD 3 118300 PMP22 601097
17p12 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 1A AD 3 118220 PMP22 601097
17p12 Dejerine-Sottas disease AD, AR 3 145900 PMP22 601097
17q21.2 ?Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2V AD 3 616491 NAGLU 609701
19p13.2 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, dominant intermediate B AD 3 606482 DNM2 602378
19p13.2 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal type 2M AD 3 606482 DNM2 602378
19q13.2 Dejerine-Sottas disease AD, AR 3 145900 PRX 605725
19q13.2 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 4F AR 3 614895 PRX 605725
19q13.33 ?Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 2B2 AR 3 605589 PNKP 605610
20p12.2 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2HH AD 3 619574 JAG1 601920
22q12.2 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2CC AD 3 616924 NEFH 162230
22q12.2 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, axonal, type 2Z AD 3 616688 MORC2 616661
22q13.33 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 4B3 AR 3 615284 SBF1 603560
Xp22.2 Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy, X-linked recessive, 2 XLR 2 302801 CMTX2 302801
Xp22.11 ?Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, X-linked dominant, 6 XLD 3 300905 PDK3 300906
Xq13.1 Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy, X-linked dominant, 1 XLD 3 302800 GJB1 304040
Xq22.3 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, X-linked recessive, 5 XLR 3 311070 PRPS1 311850
Xq26 Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy, X-linked recessive, 3 XLR 4 302802 CMTX3 302802
Xq26.1 Cowchock syndrome XLR 3 310490 AIFM1 300169

TEXT

A number sign (#) is used with this entry because of evidence that autosomal dominant hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy type VIA with optic atrophy (HMSN6A), also referred to as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 6A (CMT6A), is caused by heterozygous mutation in the mitofusin-2 gene (MFN2; 608507) on chromosome 1p36.

See also CMT2A2 (609260), an allelic disorder with overlapping features.


Description

Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy type VI is an autosomal dominant neurologic disorder characterized by peripheral neuropathy and optic atrophy (summary by Voo et al., 2003).

Genetic Heterogeneity of Hereditary Motor and Sensory Neuropathy Type VI

See also HMSN6B (616505), caused by mutation in the SLC25A46 gene (610826) on chromosome 5q22, and HMSN6C (618511), caused by mutation in the PDXK gene (179020) on chromosome 21q22.

For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of CMT, see CMT1B (118200).


Clinical Features

Dyck et al. (1993) referred to a report by Vizioli (1889) describing a father and 2 sons with optic atrophy in association with peroneal muscular atrophy. The father became ill at age 59, one son at age 26, and the other at age 6. The older son and the father lost visual acuity and eventually became blind. Deep tendon reflexes were normal or decreased. Dyck et al. (1993) categorized this report and other cases of peroneal muscular atrophy with optic atrophy as hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy VI.

Ballet and Rose (1904) described 2 brothers with a similar phenotype. Schneider and Abeles (1937) described peroneal muscular atrophy and optic atrophy in 2 middle-aged brothers, the product of a first-cousin mating. The report was consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance. Visual deterioration began at age 7 years and progressed through adolescence when gait difficulties began. The affected sibs had 2 healthy sisters and 2 healthy brothers. Milhorat (1943) described 2 brothers, born of first-cousin parents, who developed nystagmus at age 9 years, distal muscular atrophy at age 15, and decreased visual acuity in their 20s. One sister had an illness that resembled multiple sclerosis (MS; 126200) but without peripheral neuropathy. Hoyt (1960) described a 17-year-old boy with muscle weakness beginning at 2 years of age who abruptly developed difficulty with visual acuity in the right eye and a month later in the left eye. The author commented on the similarity to Leber optic atrophy (535000).

Barreira et al. (1990) described an affected 12-year-old boy and his 10-year-old sister born to consanguineous parents. Electromyography demonstrated denervation and a marked decrease in nerve conduction velocity (NCV).

Ippel et al. (1995) reported a family with clear autosomal dominant inheritance of HMSN VIA. A father and 2 children, 1 son and 1 daughter, had both polyneuropathy and optic atrophy. Sural nerve biopsy from the father showed a mixed pattern of axonal and demyelinating neuropathy with small onion bulbs. Ippel et al. (1995) noted that several earlier reports of familial HMSN VI were consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance and proposed that HMSN VI may be genetically heterogeneous.

Chalmers et al. (1996, 1997) reported 2 unrelated HMSN VIA families that showed autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive inheritance, respectively.

Voo et al. (2003) reported a large family in which 58 members were reportedly affected by autosomal dominant HMSN VIA. Twelve affected individuals were examined by a physician and confirmed to have both peripheral neuropathy and optic atrophy; 3 other family members had either neuropathy or optic atrophy. Although there was clinical variability, most had childhood onset of progressive visual loss due to optic atrophy, abnormal gait, distal sensory impairment, and hyporeflexia. Other variable features included hearing loss, tinnitus, cogwheel ocular pursuit, and anosmia. Incomplete penetrance was observed.

Zuchner et al. (2006) reported 10 affected individuals from 6 unrelated families with HMSN VIA. Inheritance in all cases was autosomal dominant. All had a very early onset of axonal peripheral neuropathy, ranging from 1 to 10 years (mean age at onset 2.1 years). The symptoms showed severe progression, with almost all patients becoming wheelchair-bound. Features of the neuropathy included pes cavus, muscle atrophy, and distal sensory impairment for all modalities. Affected individuals in 1 family also had scoliosis and vocal cord paresis. Onset of optic atrophy was later, between 5 and 50 years of age (mean age 19 years). Most individuals experienced subacute deterioration of visual acuity with color vision defects, central scotoma, and pale optic discs. Remarkably, 60% of the patients experienced significant recovery of their visual acuity after several years. Incomplete penetrance was observed in 1 family.

Clinical Variability

Del Bo et al. (2008) reported an Italian father and 2 sons with peripheral neuropathy and a highly variable phenotype. The father had a symmetric axonal predominantly motor polyneuropathy, spastic gait, and pes cavus, consistent with CMT2A2, as well as impaired nocturnal vision and sensorineural hearing loss, consistent with HMSN6A. He also showed cognitive decline first noted in his forties. Both sons had delayed motor and language development, decreased IQ, steppage gait, distal muscle weakness and atrophy, and axonal sensorimotor neuropathy at ages 10 and 7 years, respectively. One son also had optic nerve dysfunction. MR spectroscopy (MRS) in the father suggested a defect in mitochondrial energy metabolism in the occipital cortex. Molecular analysis identified a heterozygous mutation in the MFN2 gene (608507.0014) in all 3 individuals. Del Bo et al. (2008) suggested that central nervous system involvement and cognitive impairment may be other phenotypic features of MFN2 mutations.


Molecular Genetics

In affected members of 6 unrelated families with autosomal dominant HMSN VIA, Zuchner et al. (2006) identified 6 different heterozygous mutations in the MFN2 gene (see, e.g., 608507.0009-608507.0012).


REFERENCES

  1. Ballet, M. M. G., Rose, F. Un cas d'amyotrophie du type Charcot-Marie avec atrophie des deux nerfs optiques. Rev. Neurol. (Paris) 12: 522-524, 1904.

  2. Barreira, A. A., Junior, E. C., Junior, W. M., Herrera, R. F. Hereditary sensorimotor neuropathy associated with optic atrophy (type VI HMSN). (Abstract) J. Neurol. Sci. 98 (suppl.): 366 only, 1990.

  3. Chalmers, R. M., Bird, A. C., Harding, A. E. Autosomal dominant optic atrophy with asymptomatic peripheral neuropathy. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiat. 60: 195-196, 1996. [PubMed: 8708653, related citations] [Full Text]

  4. Chalmers, R. M., Riordan-Eva, P., Wood, N. W. Autosomal recessive inheritance of hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy with optic atrophy. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiat. 62: 385-387, 1997. [PubMed: 9120454, related citations] [Full Text]

  5. Del Bo, R., Moggio, M., Rango, M., Bonato, S., D'Angelo, M. G., Ghezzi, S., Airoldi, G., Bassi, M. T., Guglieri, M., Napoli, L., Lamperti, C., Corti, S., Federico, A., Bresolin, N., Comi, G. P. Mutated mitofusin 2 presents with intrafamilial variability and brain mitochondrial dysfunction. Neurology 71: 1959-1966, 2008. [PubMed: 18946002, related citations] [Full Text]

  6. Dyck, P. J., Chance, P., Lebo, R., Carney, J. A. Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathies. In: Dyck, P. J.; Thomas, P. K.; Griffin, J. W.; Low, P. A.; Poduslo, J. F. (eds.): Peripheral Neuropathy. Vol. 2. (3rd ed.) Philadelphia, Pa.: W. B. Saunders (pub.) 1993. Pp. 1094-1123.

  7. Hoyt, W. F. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease with primary optic atrophy: report of a case. Arch. Ophthal. 64: 925-928, 1960. [PubMed: 13716305, related citations] [Full Text]

  8. Ippel, E. F., Wittebol-Post, D., Jennekens, F. G. I., Bijlsma, J. B. Genetic heterogeneity of hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy type VI. J. Child Neurol. 10: 459-463, 1995. [PubMed: 8576556, related citations] [Full Text]

  9. Milhorat, A. T. Studies in diseases of muscle. XIV. Progressive muscular atrophy of peroneal type associated with atrophy of the optic nerves; report on a family. Arch. Neurol. Psychiat. 50: 279-287, 1943.

  10. Schneider, D. E., Abeles, M. M. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease with primary optic atrophy: report of two cases occurring in brothers. J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. 85: 541-547, 1937.

  11. Vizioli, F. Dell' atrofia muscolare progressiva nevrotica. Boll. Accad. Med.-Chir. Napoli No Vol.: 173-183, 1889.

  12. Voo, I., Allf, B. E., Udar, N., Silva-Garcia, R., Vance, J., Small, K. W. Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy type VI with optic atrophy. Am. J. Ophthal. 136: 670-677, 2003. [PubMed: 14516807, related citations] [Full Text]

  13. Zuchner, S., De Jonghe, P., Jordanova, A., Claeys, K. G., Guergueltcheva, V., Cherninkova, S., Hamilton, S. R., Van Stavern, G., Krajewski, K. M., Stajich, J., Tournev, I., Verhoeven, K., Langerhorst, C. T., de Visser, M., Baas, F., Bird, T., Timmerman, V., Shy, M., Vance, J. M. Axonal neuropathy with optic atrophy is caused by mutations in mitofusin 2. Ann. Neurol. 59: 276-281, 2006. [PubMed: 16437557, related citations] [Full Text]


Contributors:
Cassandra L. Kniffin - updated : 3/16/2009
Creation Date:
Orest Hurko : 3/22/1996
alopez : 07/19/2019
ckniffin : 07/17/2019
carol : 10/10/2016
carol : 07/09/2016
carol : 10/12/2015
carol : 8/7/2015
mcolton : 8/5/2015
ckniffin : 8/4/2015
joanna : 8/4/2015
alopez : 4/3/2015
carol : 6/6/2014
terry : 3/22/2012
wwang : 3/26/2009
ckniffin : 3/16/2009
carol : 7/9/2008
carol : 4/14/2006
ckniffin : 4/11/2006
ckniffin : 5/12/2004
carol : 6/13/2001
jamie : 12/18/1996
mark : 3/22/1996

# 601152

NEUROPATHY, HEREDITARY MOTOR AND SENSORY, TYPE VIA, WITH OPTIC ATROPHY; HMSN6A


Alternative titles; symbols

HMSN VIA
NEUROPATHY, HEREDITARY MOTOR AND SENSORY, TYPE VI; HMSN6
PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND OPTIC ATROPHY
CHARCOT-MARIE-TOOTH DISEASE, TYPE 6A; CMT6A
CHARCOT-MARIE-TOOTH DISEASE, TYPE 6; CMT6


SNOMEDCT: 128203003;   ORPHA: 90120;   DO: 0080068;  


Phenotype-Gene Relationships

Location Phenotype Phenotype
MIM number
Inheritance Phenotype
mapping key
Gene/Locus Gene/Locus
MIM number
1p36.22 Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy VIA 601152 Autosomal dominant 3 MFN2 608507

TEXT

A number sign (#) is used with this entry because of evidence that autosomal dominant hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy type VIA with optic atrophy (HMSN6A), also referred to as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 6A (CMT6A), is caused by heterozygous mutation in the mitofusin-2 gene (MFN2; 608507) on chromosome 1p36.

See also CMT2A2 (609260), an allelic disorder with overlapping features.


Description

Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy type VI is an autosomal dominant neurologic disorder characterized by peripheral neuropathy and optic atrophy (summary by Voo et al., 2003).

Genetic Heterogeneity of Hereditary Motor and Sensory Neuropathy Type VI

See also HMSN6B (616505), caused by mutation in the SLC25A46 gene (610826) on chromosome 5q22, and HMSN6C (618511), caused by mutation in the PDXK gene (179020) on chromosome 21q22.

For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of CMT, see CMT1B (118200).


Clinical Features

Dyck et al. (1993) referred to a report by Vizioli (1889) describing a father and 2 sons with optic atrophy in association with peroneal muscular atrophy. The father became ill at age 59, one son at age 26, and the other at age 6. The older son and the father lost visual acuity and eventually became blind. Deep tendon reflexes were normal or decreased. Dyck et al. (1993) categorized this report and other cases of peroneal muscular atrophy with optic atrophy as hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy VI.

Ballet and Rose (1904) described 2 brothers with a similar phenotype. Schneider and Abeles (1937) described peroneal muscular atrophy and optic atrophy in 2 middle-aged brothers, the product of a first-cousin mating. The report was consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance. Visual deterioration began at age 7 years and progressed through adolescence when gait difficulties began. The affected sibs had 2 healthy sisters and 2 healthy brothers. Milhorat (1943) described 2 brothers, born of first-cousin parents, who developed nystagmus at age 9 years, distal muscular atrophy at age 15, and decreased visual acuity in their 20s. One sister had an illness that resembled multiple sclerosis (MS; 126200) but without peripheral neuropathy. Hoyt (1960) described a 17-year-old boy with muscle weakness beginning at 2 years of age who abruptly developed difficulty with visual acuity in the right eye and a month later in the left eye. The author commented on the similarity to Leber optic atrophy (535000).

Barreira et al. (1990) described an affected 12-year-old boy and his 10-year-old sister born to consanguineous parents. Electromyography demonstrated denervation and a marked decrease in nerve conduction velocity (NCV).

Ippel et al. (1995) reported a family with clear autosomal dominant inheritance of HMSN VIA. A father and 2 children, 1 son and 1 daughter, had both polyneuropathy and optic atrophy. Sural nerve biopsy from the father showed a mixed pattern of axonal and demyelinating neuropathy with small onion bulbs. Ippel et al. (1995) noted that several earlier reports of familial HMSN VI were consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance and proposed that HMSN VI may be genetically heterogeneous.

Chalmers et al. (1996, 1997) reported 2 unrelated HMSN VIA families that showed autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive inheritance, respectively.

Voo et al. (2003) reported a large family in which 58 members were reportedly affected by autosomal dominant HMSN VIA. Twelve affected individuals were examined by a physician and confirmed to have both peripheral neuropathy and optic atrophy; 3 other family members had either neuropathy or optic atrophy. Although there was clinical variability, most had childhood onset of progressive visual loss due to optic atrophy, abnormal gait, distal sensory impairment, and hyporeflexia. Other variable features included hearing loss, tinnitus, cogwheel ocular pursuit, and anosmia. Incomplete penetrance was observed.

Zuchner et al. (2006) reported 10 affected individuals from 6 unrelated families with HMSN VIA. Inheritance in all cases was autosomal dominant. All had a very early onset of axonal peripheral neuropathy, ranging from 1 to 10 years (mean age at onset 2.1 years). The symptoms showed severe progression, with almost all patients becoming wheelchair-bound. Features of the neuropathy included pes cavus, muscle atrophy, and distal sensory impairment for all modalities. Affected individuals in 1 family also had scoliosis and vocal cord paresis. Onset of optic atrophy was later, between 5 and 50 years of age (mean age 19 years). Most individuals experienced subacute deterioration of visual acuity with color vision defects, central scotoma, and pale optic discs. Remarkably, 60% of the patients experienced significant recovery of their visual acuity after several years. Incomplete penetrance was observed in 1 family.

Clinical Variability

Del Bo et al. (2008) reported an Italian father and 2 sons with peripheral neuropathy and a highly variable phenotype. The father had a symmetric axonal predominantly motor polyneuropathy, spastic gait, and pes cavus, consistent with CMT2A2, as well as impaired nocturnal vision and sensorineural hearing loss, consistent with HMSN6A. He also showed cognitive decline first noted in his forties. Both sons had delayed motor and language development, decreased IQ, steppage gait, distal muscle weakness and atrophy, and axonal sensorimotor neuropathy at ages 10 and 7 years, respectively. One son also had optic nerve dysfunction. MR spectroscopy (MRS) in the father suggested a defect in mitochondrial energy metabolism in the occipital cortex. Molecular analysis identified a heterozygous mutation in the MFN2 gene (608507.0014) in all 3 individuals. Del Bo et al. (2008) suggested that central nervous system involvement and cognitive impairment may be other phenotypic features of MFN2 mutations.


Molecular Genetics

In affected members of 6 unrelated families with autosomal dominant HMSN VIA, Zuchner et al. (2006) identified 6 different heterozygous mutations in the MFN2 gene (see, e.g., 608507.0009-608507.0012).


REFERENCES

  1. Ballet, M. M. G., Rose, F. Un cas d'amyotrophie du type Charcot-Marie avec atrophie des deux nerfs optiques. Rev. Neurol. (Paris) 12: 522-524, 1904.

  2. Barreira, A. A., Junior, E. C., Junior, W. M., Herrera, R. F. Hereditary sensorimotor neuropathy associated with optic atrophy (type VI HMSN). (Abstract) J. Neurol. Sci. 98 (suppl.): 366 only, 1990.

  3. Chalmers, R. M., Bird, A. C., Harding, A. E. Autosomal dominant optic atrophy with asymptomatic peripheral neuropathy. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiat. 60: 195-196, 1996. [PubMed: 8708653] [Full Text: https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.60.2.195]

  4. Chalmers, R. M., Riordan-Eva, P., Wood, N. W. Autosomal recessive inheritance of hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy with optic atrophy. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiat. 62: 385-387, 1997. [PubMed: 9120454] [Full Text: https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.62.4.385]

  5. Del Bo, R., Moggio, M., Rango, M., Bonato, S., D'Angelo, M. G., Ghezzi, S., Airoldi, G., Bassi, M. T., Guglieri, M., Napoli, L., Lamperti, C., Corti, S., Federico, A., Bresolin, N., Comi, G. P. Mutated mitofusin 2 presents with intrafamilial variability and brain mitochondrial dysfunction. Neurology 71: 1959-1966, 2008. [PubMed: 18946002] [Full Text: https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000327095.32005.a4]

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Contributors:
Cassandra L. Kniffin - updated : 3/16/2009

Creation Date:
Orest Hurko : 3/22/1996

Edit History:
alopez : 07/19/2019
ckniffin : 07/17/2019
carol : 10/10/2016
carol : 07/09/2016
carol : 10/12/2015
carol : 8/7/2015
mcolton : 8/5/2015
ckniffin : 8/4/2015
joanna : 8/4/2015
alopez : 4/3/2015
carol : 6/6/2014
terry : 3/22/2012
wwang : 3/26/2009
ckniffin : 3/16/2009
carol : 7/9/2008
carol : 4/14/2006
ckniffin : 4/11/2006
ckniffin : 5/12/2004
carol : 6/13/2001
jamie : 12/18/1996
mark : 3/22/1996