New findings in facial-onset sensory and motor neuronopathy (FOSMN) syndrome.

New findings in facial-onset sensory and motor neuronopathy (FOSMN) syndrome. Rev Neurol (Paris). 2018 Oct 04;: Authors: Pinto WBVR, Naylor FGM, Chieia MAT, de Souza PVS, Oliveira ASB Abstract Facial-onset sensory and motor neuronopathy (FOSMN) syndrome represents a rare, slowly progressive, lower motor neuron disease with sensory compromise, involving mainly the face, bulbar region and upper limbs. However, non-motor symptoms and neurogenetic studies have rarely been evaluated in large case series. In the present study, 10 unrelated Brazilian patients with FOSMN syndrome underwent extensive clinical, laboratory, neurophysiological and neurogenetic assessment. Median age at symptom onset was 52.1 years, and men and women were equally affected. Patients presented with hemifacial or bilateral facial paresthesia and weakness, which evolved with dysphagia, dysphonia, and facial and tongue atrophy and, finally, a dropped-head, upper limb weakness and syringomyelia-like sensory disturbances in the upper limbs. All 10 patients showed chronic diffuse neurogenic compromise of bulbar, cervical and thoracic myotomes, and abnormal blink reflex tests. A positive family history of neurodegeneration was identified in six cases, and revealed pathogenic gene variants in three families (involving VCP, TARDBP and CHCHD10). Thus, our case series has revealed new findings regarding FOSMN syndrome: (i) its clinical course is not always benign, with poorer...
Source: Revue Neurologique - Category: Neurology Tags: Rev Neurol (Paris) Source Type: research