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Biomedical subjects

E M Brett

Publications and source records attributed to E M Brett.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Hypomelanosis of Ito: spectrum of the disease.

Nineteen children with hypomelanosis of Ito are described. Fourteen were developmentally delayed and nine had a history of seizures. Hemihypertrophy was present in four patients, syndactyly in three, and scoliosis in one. Twelve of the children had abnormal electroencephalograms and nine had abnormal brain scans, four with appearances suggestive of abnormal neuronal migration. There is very little evidence, either from the literature or from our patients, that the disease is inherited. The pattern of the cutaneous lesions suggests that the condition may result from the presence of two different cell populations as a result of mosaicism.

Brain↗
PubMed1989

Autosomal recessive microcephaly, mental retardation with nonpigmentary retinopathy and a distinctive electroretinogram.

The association of microcephaly and mental retardation with a non-pigmentary retinopathy is described in three siblings of consanguineous parents. The electroretinogram showed the distinctive appearance of markedly attenuated "b" wave but normal "a" wave suggestive of a retinal dystrophy primarily affecting post-receptoral elements in the inner retina. This appears to be an autosomal recessive condition which has not been previously reported.

Child↗
PubMed1989

Early onset leukodystrophy with distinct facial features in 2 siblings.

Two siblings with marked subcutaneous tissue atrophy, delayed dentition and a degenerative neurological condition characterised by nystagmus, ataxia and spasticity are described. Myelin was almost totally absent on the magnetic resonance image brain scan performed on one sibling. There was no history of photosensitivity and ultraviolet irradiation of cultured fibroblasts did not inhibit RNA synthesis. We believe that these children have a previously undescribed syndrome, which, although clinically similar to Cockayne syndrome, is readily distinguished from it.

Ataxia↗
PubMed1989

Focal changes in the globi pallidi associated with neurological dysfunction in methylmalonic acidaemia.

Neurological abnormalities are common in patients with organic acidaemias and sometimes these are distinctive. Lesions in various parts of the brain are increasingly being recognised in patients with methylmalonic acidaemia. We present the cases of two patients with methylmalonic acidaemia who became acutely ill with marked metabolic acidosis. CT scan showed bilateral areas of low density involving the globi pallidi. One patient developed dystonic posturing of the upper and lower limbs with rigidity and bradykinesia following her recovery. Treatment with benzhexol and with levodopa and carbidopa had no sustained benefit. Her gait slowly improved but her dystonic posturing remained. The other patient developed marked truncal hypotonia and a variable increase in limb tone following the acute illness. These abnormalities have persisted. It is concluded that structural brain changes, and in particular symmetrical lesions in the globi pallidi, may follow acute illness in patients with methylmalonic acidaemia and be accompanied by neurological symptoms.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

The 'happy puppet' syndrome of Angelman: review of the clinical features.

Thirty six children with typical features of Angelman's syndrome, including global developmental delay, ataxia, episodes of paroxysmal laughter, seizures, and microcephaly were studied. The series included three sibships of three affected sisters, two affected brothers, and two affected sisters, respectively. The facial appearance is characterised by a prominent jaw, a wide mouth, and a pointed chin. Tongue thrusting is common. The movement disorder consists of a wide based, ataxic gait with frequent jerky limb movements and flapping of the hands. Tone is variable in the limbs with normal reflexes, and the plantar responses are usually flexor. The syndrome is being diagnosed more often, and attention is drawn to its diagnostic aspects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Central nervous system malformations in Mohr's syndrome.

A boy with severe developmental delay, bilateral, symmetrical hallucal duplication, and accessory alveolar frenula was found to have radiological evidence of a large arachnoid cyst compressing the cerebellum and brain stem. We review neurological abnormalities in Mohr's syndrome.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1989

Moebius' syndrome with unilateral cerebellar hypoplasia.

A case is reported of a child with Moebius' syndrome who also has unilateral cerebellar hypoplasia. We suggest that this combination of abnormalities could result from a vascular disruption occurring in the basilar artery early in its development.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1988

The diverse neurological features of Niemann-Pick disease type C: a report of two cases.

Two cases of Niemann-Pick disease type C are described in order to illustrate the variable neurological features of this rare condition. One presented with a predominantly akinetic-rigid syndrome at the age of 5 years. The second developed progressive ataxia, accompanied by a vertical gaze palsy, when she was 13. Neither patient had hepatosplenomegaly; the diagnosis of Niemann-Pick disease type C was based on finding foamy storage cells in bone marrow aspirates.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Unknown syndrome: Hirschsprung's disease, microcephaly, and iris coloboma: a new syndrome of defective neuronal migration.

We describe three children with Hirschsprung's disease and microcephaly, two of whom also have an iris coloboma. Two of the children, one with a coloboma and one without, are from the same consanguineous pedigree. The third case is unrelated and was identified by the matching program of the London Dysmorphology Database. This is the first report of this combination of features which are considered to be secondary to defective neuronal migration. An autosomal recessive mode of inheritance is proposed.

Coloboma↗
PubMed1988

Giant axonal neuropathy: observations on a further patient.

A further child with giant axonal neuropathy (GAN), abnormally curly hair and consanguineous parents is described. Of the 19 patients with GAN so far reported in the literature, six, including the present patient, have resulted from consanguineous marriages. This makes autosomal recessive inheritance of GAN highly probable. Our patient also exhibited cerebellar ataxia and signs of pyramidal tract damage; magnetic resonance brain imaging demonstrated abnormalities within the cerebellar and cerebral white matter. Myelinated nerve fibre density in the sural nerve was reduced to 6790/mm2 at age 8 years and had fallen to 3812/mm2 16 months later, indicating that progressive axonal loss occurs in GAN.

Axons↗
PubMed1987

Diagnostic difficulties in infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy. A clinicopathological study of eight cases.

The clinical features of eight children with infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy are presented. Diagnosis was established by brain biopsy (4 cases), conjunctival biopsy (1 case), and the family history (2 cases), while in one case a presumptive diagnosis was made on the combination of clinical and neurophysiological findings without histopathological confirmation. The pleomorphic clinical picture and variable neurophysiological findings make a firm diagnosis difficult without histopathological confirmation. However, in the appropriate clinical context, serial neurophysiological investigations (ERG, VEP, EEG, ENMG) may suggest the diagnosis after the age of 2 years. Conjunctival biopsy is not invariably helpful, and neuroaxonal spheroïds are not always demonstrated in brain biopsies by conventional techniques. However, they were consistently identified using a non-specific esterase stain and by electron microscopy. This technique is described, and the significance of ultrastructural and neuropathological findings in infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy is discussed.

Axons↗
PubMed1987

The use of a computerised database for the diagnosis of a rare neurological syndrome.

A database which runs on an office microcomputer is being developed for the diagnosis of genetically determined neurological disorders. At present about 1100 conditions with their clinical features and 3000 references are stored in the database. We discuss a family with 3 sibs affected by a unique neurological disorder and show how the database is used. The 3 sibs, 4, 5 and 10 years old, show the same clinical course characterized by congenital cataracts, microcephaly, hypotonia, mental retardation, pyramidal signs and choreoathetoid movements starting in early childhood. The parents are first cousins of Bangladeshi origin. This condition does not appear in published report and is not listed in the database. It can therefore be concluded that the sibs have a unique autosomal recessive disorder.

Athetosis↗
PubMed1986

Total and free serum concentrations of carbamazepine and carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide in children with epilepsy.

Simultaneous steady-state serum total and free (non-protein-bound) concentrations of carbamazepine and carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide were measured in 68 patients under the age of 21 years with epilepsy (44 males, 24 females; mean age, 11.8 +/- 4.5 years). Thirty patients were maintained on monotherapy with carbamazepine. Mean serum total carbamazepine and carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide concentrations obtained were 7.0 +/- 2.4 mg/L (29.5 +/- 10.0 mumol/L) and 1.5 +/- 0.6 mg/L (5.9 +/- 2.6 mumol/L), respectively. Mean serum-free carbamazepine and carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide concentrations obtained were 1.3 +/- 0.5 mg/L (5.7 +/- 2.1 mumol/L) and 0.5 +/- 0.3 mg/L (2.2 +/- 1.1 mumol/L), respectively. Binding of carbamazepine and carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide was 81% +/- 3% and 62% +/- 10%, respectively. There was no significant difference in binding between male and female patients or those maintained on monotherapy and polytherapy. Age correlated significantly with carbamazepine binding but not with carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide binding. Free concentrations of carbamazepine and carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide correlated significantly with total carbamazepine and total carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide concentrations, respectively, indicating that the binding capacities of both carbamazepine and carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide are constant at serum total carbamazepine concentrations within the quoted therapeutic range.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Factors influencing simultaneous concentrations of total and free carbamazepine and carbamazepine-10, 11-epoxide in serum of children with epilepsy.

Various factors that may influence the simultaneous concentration of total and free carbamazepine (CBZ) and carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide (CBZ-E) in serum of 68 children (mean age 11.8 +/- 4.5 years) with epilepsy were assessed. Separation of free and bound drug fractions was achieved by ultrafiltration, and CBZ and CBZ-E concentrations were determined using a sensitive high pressure liquid chromatographic technique. Thirty children were on CBZ monotherapy. Both total CBZ and CBZ-E serum concentrations correlated significantly with their respective free serum concentrations. CBZ was 81 +/- 3% and CBZ-E 63 +/- 9% bound. There was no correlation between the CBZ dose and either CBZ total or free serum concentrations. A statistically significant correlation was, however, observed between CBZ dose and simultaneous CBZ-E total and free concentrations. CBZ total and free concentrations correlated significantly with those of total CBZ-E. A significant negative correlation was observed between age and total (r = -0.49, p less than 0.01) and free (r = -0.43, p less than 0.025) CBZ-E/CBZ ratios. Concomitant drug therapy (phenytoin, phenobarbitone, and sodium valproate) significantly elevated CBZ-E/CBZ ratios.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

A family with congenital suprabulbar paresis (Worster-Drought syndrome).

A three generation family is described in which four members were found to have congenital suprabulbar paresis (Worster-Drought syndrome). It is suggested that some cases of congenital suprabulbar paresis are inherited as an autosomal dominant trait with variable expression and penetrance.

Bulbar Palsy, Progressive↗