Skip to main content
Log in

Connatal Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease with congenital stridor in two maternal cousins

  • Original Works
  • Published:
Acta Neuropathologica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Two maternal cousins are described with the connatal form of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease (PMD) and congenital stridor. Study of brain biopsy material confirms the diagnosis of PMD. The neuropathological findings are suggestive for the transitional form of this disease. Quantitative morphology gives support to the hypothesis that PMD is a disturbance in maturation of neurons and in myelin formation rather than an active degenerative process. The hereditary transmission is most consistent with a sex-linked recessive pattern. Different X-linked signs seem combined in the presented cases.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adachi M, Schneck L, Torie J, Volk BW (1970) Histochemical, ultrastructural and biochemical studies of a case with leukodystrophy due to congenital deficiency of myelin. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 29:601–614

    Google Scholar 

  • Apley J (1953) The infant with stridor: a follow-up survey of 80 cases. Arch Dis Childh 28:423–435

    Google Scholar 

  • Benians RC, Benson PF, Sherwood T, Spector RG (1964) Intellectual impairment in congenital laryngeal stridor. Guy's Hosp Rep 113:360–367

    Google Scholar 

  • Colon EJ (1971) Quantitative cytoarchitectonics of the human cerebral cortex. Psychiat Neurol Neurochir 74:291–302

    Google Scholar 

  • Förster C, Daschner F, Murken JD (1971) Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Krankheit: Zur Frage der klinischen Diagnose. Z Kinderheilk 110:248–260

    Google Scholar 

  • Jellinger K, Seitelberger F (1969) Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease: transitional form between classical and co-natal (Seitelberger) type. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 14:108–117

    Google Scholar 

  • McKusick VA (1978) Mendelian inheritance in man. 5th edn. Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, Baltimore, pp 792–793 (no 31160)

    Google Scholar 

  • McSwiney PF, Cavanagh NPC, Languth P (1977) Outcome in congenital stridor (laryngo malacia). Arch Dis Childh 52:215–217

    Google Scholar 

  • Meier C (1977) Die Maus-Mutante “Jimpy”: Tiermodelle einer Leukodystrophie. Fortschr Med 45:2623–2626

    Google Scholar 

  • Menkes J, Philippart M, Concone MC (1966) Concentration and fatty acid composition of cerebrosides and sulfatides in mature and immature human brain. J Lipid Res 7:479

    Google Scholar 

  • Merzbacher L (1910) Eine eigenartige familiär-hereditäre Erkrankungsform (Aplasia axialis extra corticalis congenita). Zentralbl Ges Neurol Psychiat 3:1

    Google Scholar 

  • Merzbacher L (1923) Über die Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Krankheit. Zentralbl Ges Neurol Psychiat 32:202–204

    Google Scholar 

  • Mickel HS, Gilles FH (1970) Changes in glial cells during human telencephalies myelinogenesis. Brain 93:337–346

    Google Scholar 

  • Neuhäuser G, Zu Rhein GM, Kaveggia EG, Opitz JM (1977) Fatal CNS dysgenesis with severe microcephaly, mental retardation, seizures and paucity of myclin, autosomal recessive trait? Eur J Pediat 124:185–198

    Google Scholar 

  • Nisenbaum C, Sandbank U, Kohn R (1965) Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease “infantile acute type”. Report of a family. Ann Paediat 204:365–376

    Google Scholar 

  • Plott D (1964) Congenital laryngeal-abductor paralysis due to nucleus ambiguus dysgenesis in three brothers. New Engl J Med 271:593–596

    Google Scholar 

  • Poser CM (1962) Concepts of dysmyelination. In: Aronson SM, Volk BW (eds) Cerebral sphingo lipidoses. A symposium on Tay-Sachs disease and allied disorders. Academic Press. New York, p 141

    Google Scholar 

  • Poser CM (1978) Dysmyelination revisited. Arch Neurol 35:401–408

    Google Scholar 

  • Pracy MR (1965) Stridor in children. Proc R Soc Med 58:267–270

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinn-Bogard AL, Potsic WP (1977) Stridor in the first year of life: the clinical evaluation of the persistent of intermittent noisy breather. Clin Pediatr 16:913–919

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneck L, Adachi M, Volk BW (1971) Congenital failure of myelinization: Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease? Neurology 21:817–824

    Google Scholar 

  • Schröder JM, Bohl J, Brodda K (1978) Changes of the ratio between myelin thickness and axon diameter in the human developing sural nerve. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 43:169–178

    Google Scholar 

  • Seitelberger F (1954) Die Pelizaeus-Merzbachersche Krankheit. Klinisch-anatomische Untersuchungen zum Problem ihrer Stellung unter den diffusen Sklerosen. Wien Z Nervenheilk 10:397–405

    Google Scholar 

  • Seitelberger F (1970) Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease. In: Vinken PJ, Bruyn GW (eds) Handbook of clinical neurology, vol 10. North Holland, Amsterdam, pp 150–202

    Google Scholar 

  • Stark G (1972) Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease. Dev Med Child Neurol 14:806–809

    Google Scholar 

  • Ulrich J, Herschkowitz N (1977) Seitelberger's connatal form of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease: case report, clinical, pathological and biochemical findings. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 40:129–136

    Google Scholar 

  • Van der Loos H (1956) Une combinaison de deux vieilles méthodes histologiques pour le système nerveux central. Monatsschr Psychiat Neurol 132:330–334

    Google Scholar 

  • Watanabe I, Caman Mc R, Dyken P, Zeman W (1969) Absence of cerebral myelin sheaths in a case of presumed Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 88:243–256

    Google Scholar 

  • Watanabe I, Patel V, Goebel HH, Siakotos AN, Zeman W, de Myer W, Dyer JS (1973) Early lesion of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease: electronmicroscopic and biochemical study. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 32:313–333

    Google Scholar 

  • Watters GV, Fitsch N (1973) Familial laryngeal abductor paralysis and psychomotor retardation. Clin Genet 4:429–433

    Google Scholar 

  • Weerdt de CJ, Hooghwinkel GJM (1969) Congenital retarded myelinization in a newborn child with infantile spasms. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2:143–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Willems JL (1978) Disorders in pyruvate metabolism. Thesis, Nijmegen

  • Zeman W, De Mijer W, Falls HF (1964) Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease. A study in nosology. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 23:334–354

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Renier, W.O., Gabreëls, F.J.M., Hustinx, T.W.J. et al. Connatal Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease with congenital stridor in two maternal cousins. Acta Neuropathol 54, 11–17 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00691328

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00691328

Key words

Navigation