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A novel deletion in the GJA12 gene causes Pelizaeus–Merzbacher-like disease

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Abstract

Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease (PMD) and Pelizaeus–Merzbacher-like disease (PMLD) are hypomyelinating disorders of the central nervous system with a very similar phenotype. PMD is an X-linked disorder caused by mutations in PLP1. PMLD is an autosomal recessive condition caused by mutations in GJA12. We report a 5-year-old girl with a complex neurological syndrome and severe hypomyelination on brain magnetic resonance imaging. She harbored a homozygous 34-bp deletion in the coding region of GJA12. There are no distinctive features for the differential diagnosis of PMD/PMLD. GJA12 should be analyzed in all patients without PLP1 mutations but should also be considered the initial genetic test in women and in patients with consanguineous parents.

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Acknowledgement

Dr. Salviati is supported by a grant from the Association Française contre les Myopathies (AFM).

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Correspondence to Leonardo Salviati.

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Salviati, L., Trevisson, E., Baldoin, M.C. et al. A novel deletion in the GJA12 gene causes Pelizaeus–Merzbacher-like disease. Neurogenetics 8, 57–60 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10048-006-0065-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10048-006-0065-x

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