Subscribe to RSS
DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-7485
Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York
Atypical Features in Angelman Syndrome Due to Imprinting Defect or Uniparental Disomy of Chromosome 15
Publication History
Publication Date:
31 December 2000 (online)

Sir,
Clinical diagnostic criteria are now well defined for Angelman syndrome (AS) [[1], [12]], a neurogenetic disorder characterised by development delay, virtually absent speech, a complex motor impairment and a happy demeanour. Following recent molecular characterisation of the underlying defect on chromosome 15 q11 - 13, a number of new patients have come to medical attention. From the few dozen reported 10 years ago, there are now clinical data concerning hundreds of patients. Molecular confirmation of the diagnosis is possible in more than 80 %, but clinical diagnostic criteria remain applicable for all cases. Some subtle signs may escape attention and fall outside diagnostic criteria. In this regard, it may be of interest to report less typical aspects. We describe incomplete phenotypes and atypical presentations in two such cases.
References
- 1 Anelman H. “Puppet” children. A report on three cases. Dev Med Child Neurol. 1965; 7 681-688
- 2 Bottani A, Robinson W P, DeLozier-Blanchet C D, Engel E. et al . Angelman syndrome due to paternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 15: a milder phenotype?. Am J Med Genet. 1994; 51 35-40
- 3 Boyd S G, Harden A, Patton M A. The EEG in early diagnosis of the Angelman (Happy Puppet) syndrome. Eur J Pediatr. 1988; 147 508-513
- 4 Boyd S G, Cross J H, Dan B. EEG features in Angleman syndrome. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 1997; 1 A1-2
- 5 Burger J, Kunze J, Sperling K, Reis A. Phenotypic differences in Angelman syndrome patients: imprinting mutations show less frequently microcephaly and hypopigmentation than deletion. Am J Med Genet. 1996; 66 221-226
- 6 Gillessen-Kaesbach G, Albrecht B, Passarge E, Horsthemke B. Further patient with Angelman syndrome due to paternal disomy of chromosome 15 and a milder phenotype. Am J Med Genet. 1995; 56 328-329
- 7 Gillessen-Kaesbach G, Demuth S, Thiele H, Theile U, Lich C, Horsthemke B. A previously unrecognised phenotype characterised by obesity, muscular hypotonia, and ability to speak in patients with Angelman syndrome caused by an imprinting defect. Eur J Hum Genet. 1999; 7 638-644
- 8 King R A, Wiesner G L, Townsend D W, White J G. Hypopigmentation in Angelman syndrome. Am J Med Genet. 1993; 46 40-44
- 9 Laan L AEM, Halley D JJ, den Boer A T, Hennekam R CN, Renier W O, Brouwer O F. Angelman syndrome without detectable chromosome 15 q11 - 13 anomaly: clinical study of familial and isolated cases. Am J Med Genet. 1998; 76 262-268
- 10 Olsen R W, Avoli M. GABA and epileptogenesis. Epilepsia. 1997; 38 399-407
- 11 Prasad C, Wagstaff J. Genotype and phenotype in Angelman syndrome caused by paternal UPD 15. Am J Med Genet. 1997; 70 328-329
- 12 Williams C A, Angelman H, Clayton-Smith J, Driscoll D J. et al . Angelman syndrome: consensus for diagnostic criteria. Am J Med Genet. 1995; 56 237-238
Dr. Bernard Dan
Head of the Department of Neurology Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola
15, Avenue JJ Crocq
1020 Brussels
Belgium