Review Article

Synaptojanin 1 Mutation in Parkinson’s Disease Brings Further Insight into the Neuropathological Mechanisms

Table 1

Clinical features in patients with SYNJ1 homozygous Arg258Gln mutation: Iranian family [3], Sicilian family [4], and Neapolitan family [52] modified from [52].

Iranian familySicilian familyNeapolitan family

ID codeIIINAPO-16NAPO-17NAPO-41NAPO-42
GenderMFMFMF
ConsanguinityYesYesYesYesNoNo
Child developmental milestonesNot availableNormalNormalNormalDelayedDelayed
Seizures (age at onset)Yes (3)Yes (infancy)NoNoOne episode (uncertain)One episode (16)
Age at PD onset20Early 20s22282826
Symptoms at onsetTremor, bradykinesiaTremor, bradykinesia, eyelid twitchingBradykinesia, fatigue, gait impairment, involuntary arm movementsBradykinesia, speech and gait difficulties, involuntary arm movementsBradykinesiaTremor, bradykinesia
Age at last examination293950343127
EvolutionEyelid apraxia and dysarthria at 22, generalized bradykinesia, limb rigidity, tremor, hypophonia, postural instability at 29Similar to I + needed assistance to walk at 32, bedbound at 37, anarthric state, in fixed posture at 39Cognitive decline, severe dysarthria, assistance needed at 23, anarthric state at 25, stooped posture, abnormal gait, axial and limb rigidity, impaired postural reflex, eyelid apraxia, mild dysphagia, dystonia, resting and action tremor at 47, stable at 50Stooped posture, abnormal gait, impaired postural reflex, staring gaze at 31, resting and action tremor, axial and limb rigidity, dystonia, dysarthria, hypophonia, mild dysphagia, worsening dystonia and supranuclear gaze palsy at 34Hypomimia, impaired speech, mild stooped posture, tremor, axial and limb rigidity, gaze limitation, dystonia, irritability, drooling and dysphagia at 31Hypomimia, impaired speech, tremor and limb rigidity, slow gait, reduced postural reflex at 27
UPDRS-III score$ (age)38 (29) Not available78 (47), 82 (50) 57 (31), 68 (34) 42 (31) 32 (27)
MMSE$$ (age)Not availableNot availableNot administered due to severe motor and cognitive disability26 (31), 24 (34) 28 (31) 24 (27)
Imaging dataMild cortical atrophy, bilateral hyperintensity in white matterMeningioma (surgically removed at 37)Diffuse cortical atrophy, hyperintensity of hippocampi, thinning midbrain quadrigeminal plate, nigrostriatal dopaminergic deficit, cortical hypometabolismDiffuse cortical atrophy, hyperintensity of hippocampi, thinning midbrain quadrigeminal plate, cortical hypometabolismNo gross abnormalities, nigrostriatal dopaminergic deficit, mild bilateral hypometabolismNo gross abnormalities, nigrostriatal dopaminergic deficit, mild bilateral hypometabolism
Response to levodopaNot tolerated (severe dyskinesia)Not tolerated (severe dyskinesia)Not tolerated (dystonia, postural hypotension)Not tolerated (dystonia, postural hypotension)Not treatedNot treated

UPDRS-III score: unified PD rating scale; higher scores indicate more severe Parkinsonism. Maximum score: 56 for Iranian family and 108 for Italian families.
MMSE: Minimental state examination; lower scores indicate lower cognitive performance. Maximum score: 30.