Journal of Movement Disorders  2017;10(1):53-58

doi:10.14802/jmd.16044

Familiar Hyperekplexia, a Potential Cause of Cautious Gait: A New Korean Case and a Systematic Review of Phenotypes.

Yoonju LEE 1 ; Nan Young KIM ; Sangkyoon HONG ; Su Jin CHUNG ; Seong Ho JEONG ; Phil Hyu LEE ; Young H SOHN

Affiliations

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Keywords

Hyperekplexia; GLRA1; deep phenotyping

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

English

Abstract

Familial hyperekplexia, also called startle disease, is a rare neurological disorder characterized by excessive startle responses to noise or touch. It can be associated with serious injury from frequent falls, apnea spells, and aspiration pneumonia. Familial hyperekplexia has a heterogeneous genetic background with several identified causative genes; it demonstrates both dominant and recessive inheritance in the α1 subunit of the glycine receptor (GLRA1), the β subunit of the glycine receptor and the presynaptic sodium and chloride-dependent glycine transporter 2 genes. Clonazepam is an effective medical treatment for hyperekplexia. Here, we report genetically confirmed familial hyperekplexia patients presenting early adult cautious gait. Additionally, we review clinical features, mode of inheritance, ethnicity and the types and locations of mutations of previously reported hyperekplexia cases with a GLRA1 gene mutation.