Department of Psychology, Roosevelt University, Chicago, IL, USA.
University of Chicago Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Chicago, IL, USA.
Clin Neuropsychol. 2024 Jul;38(5):1272-1289. doi: 10.1080/13854046.2023.2279697. Epub 2023 Nov 16.
POLR3-HLD or 4H leukodystrophy is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by hypomyelination, hypodontia, and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and caused by variants in , , , or genes. Neurological and non-neurological clinical features and disease severity vary. While previous studies reference variable cognition, this is the first report of 4H detailing a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment. The current study presents a 20-year-old, English-speaking, right-handed, non-Hispanic White female with 12 years of education with genetically confirmed 4H -related leukodystrophy without hormonal replacement treatment. At age 4, developmental delays, ataxia, hearing loss, and abnormal dentition were present. Imaging, endocrinology, and neurologic examinations revealed hypomyelination, reduced cerebellar volume, delayed bone age density, osteopenia, and evidence of adrenarche without signs of true puberty. Neuropsychological assessment at age 20 revealed global cognitive impairment with intellectual, attention, verbal memory retrieval, construction, executive (e.g. processing speed, sustained attention) and math computation deficits, along with behavioral dysregulation. We present the first detailed neuropsychological assessment of a patient with 4H leukodystrophy. The neuropsychological assessment revealed cognitive and behavioral dysexecutive deficits aligning with hypomyelination observed on imaging. Further longitudinal studies are needed to shed light on the neurobehavioral presentation associated with this disorder to assist care providers, patients, and their families.
POLR3-HLD 或 4H 脑白质营养不良是一种常染色体隐性疾病,其特征为少突胶质细胞发育不良、牙缺失和促性腺激素性性腺功能减退症,由 、 、 或 基因的变异引起。神经和非神经临床特征及疾病严重程度存在差异。虽然之前的研究提到了可变的认知功能,但这是首次有研究详细报告 4H 患者的全面神经心理学评估。本研究介绍了一位 20 岁、英语为母语、右利手、非西班牙裔白人女性,受教育 12 年,患有经基因证实的与 4H 相关的脑白质营养不良,但未接受激素替代治疗。她在 4 岁时出现发育迟缓、共济失调、听力损失和牙齿异常。影像学、内分泌学和神经病学检查显示少突胶质细胞发育不良、小脑体积减小、骨龄密度延迟、骨质疏松症和肾上腺早现的证据,而无真正青春期的迹象。20 岁时的神经心理学评估显示,存在全面认知障碍,表现为智力、注意力、言语记忆检索、结构、执行(例如,处理速度、持续注意力)和数学计算能力缺陷,以及行为失调。我们首次详细评估了一位 4H 脑白质营养不良患者的神经心理学表现。神经心理学评估显示认知和行为执行功能缺陷与影像学观察到的少突胶质细胞发育不良相一致。需要进一步的纵向研究来阐明与这种疾病相关的神经行为表现,以帮助护理提供者、患者及其家属。