Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Gómez–López-Hernández syndrome: reappraisal of the diagnostic criteria

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
European Journal of Pediatrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Gómez–López-Hernández syndrome (GLHS) is a rare and possibly underdiagnosed condition. So far, 21 patients have been reported and all of them were sporadic observations. We report six additional patients. The hallmark triad of GLHS, also named cerebellotrigeminal dermal dysplasia, consists of rhombencephalosynapsis, trigeminal anesthesia (often giving rise to corneal opacities), and bilateral parietal or parieto-occipital alopecia. Our patients had rhombencephalosynapsis and alopecia, but none had trigeminal dysfunction. In this respect, the term cerebellotrigeminal dermal dysplasia is potentially misleading. In conclusion, only rhombencephalosynapsis and alopecia are consistently present in GLHS and are required diagnostic criteria, while trigeminal anesthesia, dysmorphic features, and ataxia are inconsistent findings. A high index of suspicion is required to diagnose GLHS, particularly as alopecia tends to be hidden by surrounding scalp hair.

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.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bonnet C, Roubertie A, Doummar D et al (2010) Developmental and benign movement disorders in childhood. Mov Disord epub June 18, 2010

  2. Bowdin S, Phelan E, Watson R et al (2007) Rhombencephalosynapsis presenting antenatally with ventriculomegaly/hydrocephalus in a likely case of Gomez–Lopez-Hernandez syndrome. Clin Dysmorphol 16:21–25

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Brocks D, Irons M, Sadeghi-Najad A et al (2000) Gomez–Lopez-Hernandez syndrome: expansion of the phenotype. Am J Med Genet 94:405–408

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Fernandez-Jaen A, Fernandez-Mayoralas DM, Calleja-Perez B et al (2009) Gomez–Lopez-Hernandez syndrome: two new cases and review of the literature. Pediatr Neurol 40:58–62

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Gomez MR (1979) Cerebellotrigeminal and focal dermal dysplasia: a newly recognized neurocutaneous syndrome. Brain Dev 1:253–256

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Gomy I, Heck B, Santos AC et al (2008) Two new Brazilian patients with Gomez–Lopez-Hernandez syndrome: reviewing the expanded phenotype with molecular insights. Am J Med Genet A 146A:649–657

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Harris KM, Mahone EM, Singer HS (2008) Nonautistic motor stereotypies: clinical features and longitudinal follow-up. Pediatr Neurol 38:267–272

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Hottinger-Blanc PM, Ziegler AL, Deonna T (2002) A special type of head stereotypies in children with developmental (?cerebellar) disorder: description of 8 cases and literature review. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 6:143–152

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Kaufman AS, Kaufman LN (2004) Kaufman assessment battery for children: manual. AGS, Circles Pines

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lopez-Hernandez A (1982) Craniosynostosis, ataxia, trigeminal anaesthesia and parietal alopecia with pons-vermis fusion anomaly (atresia of the fourth ventricle). Report of two cases. Neuropediatrics 13:99–102

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Munoz RM, Santos AC, Graziadio C et al (1997) Cerebello-trigeminal-dermal dysplasia (Gomez–Lopez-Hernandez syndrome): description of three new cases and review. Am J Med Genet 72:34–39

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Napolitano M, Righini A, Zirpoli S et al (2004) Prenatal magnetic resonance imaging of rhombencephalosynapsis and associated brain anomalies: report of 3 cases. J Comput Assist Tomogr 28:762–765

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Pasquier L, Marcorelles P, Loget P et al (2009) Rhombencephalosynapsis and related anomalies: a neuropathological study of 40 fetal cases. Acta Neuropathol 117:185–200

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Poretti A, Alber FD, Burki S et al (2009) Cognitive outcome in children with rhombencephalosynapsis. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 13:28–33

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Poretti A, Bartholdi D, Gobara S et al (2008) Gomez–Lopez-Hernandez syndrome: an easily missed diagnosis. Eur J Med Genet 51:197–208

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Poretti A, Limperopoulos C, Roulet-Perez E et al (2010) Outcome of severe unilateral cerebellar hypoplasia. Dev Med Child Neurol 52:718–724

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Purvis DJ, Ramirez A, Roberts N et al (2007) Gomez–Lopez-Hernandez syndrome: another consideration in focal congenital alopecia. Br J Dermatol 157:196–198

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Schell-Apacik CC, Cohen M, Vojta S et al (2008) Gomez–Lopez-Hernandez syndrome (cerebello-trigeminal-dermal dysplasia): description of an additional case and review of the literature. Eur J Pediatr 167:123–126

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Tan GM, Arnone D, McIntosh AM et al (2009) Meta-analysis of magnetic resonance imaging studies in chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (velocardiofacial syndrome). Schizophr Res 115:173–181

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Tan TY, McGillivray G, Goergen SK et al (2005) Prenatal magnetic resonance imaging in Gomez–Lopez-Hernandez syndrome and review of the literature. Am J Med Genet A 138:369–373

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Tewes U, Rossmann P, Schallberger U (1999) Hamburg-Wechsler-Intelligenztest für Kinder III (HAWIK-III). Hans Huber, Bern

    Google Scholar 

  22. Toelle SP, Yalcinkaya C, Kocer N et al (2002) Rhombencephalosynapsis: clinical findings and neuroimaging in 9 children. Neuropediatrics 33:209–214

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Truwit CL, Barkovich AJ, Shanahan R et al (1991) MR imaging of rhombencephalosynapsis: report of three cases and review of the literature. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 12:957–965

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. von Aster M, Neubauer A, Horn R (2006) WIE, Wechsler Intelligenztest für Erwachsene. Harcourt Test Services, Frankfurt am Main

    Google Scholar 

  25. Whetsell W, Saigal G, Godinho S (2006) Gomez–Lopez-Hernandez syndrome. Pediatr Radiol 36:552–554

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank the families for their cooperation and permission to publish clinical photos.

Conflict of interest

None of the authors have any conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eugen Boltshauser.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sukhudyan, B., Jaladyan, V., Melikyan, G. et al. Gómez–López-Hernández syndrome: reappraisal of the diagnostic criteria. Eur J Pediatr 169, 1523–1528 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-010-1259-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-010-1259-7

Keywords

Navigation