RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Hypomyelination with atrophy of the basal ganglia and cerebellum (H-ABC) is a rare condition that has only recently been reported. Here we present two new cases belonging to the same family. CASE REPORTS: Case 1: 17-month-old boy with severe underdevelopment in all areas, absence of language and eye contact. The examination revealed microcephaly with spastic tetraparesis. A magnetic resonance imaging scan showed predominantly vermian atrophy of the cerebellum with loss of volume of both nuclei of the putamen and the head of the caudate, and a pattern of hypomyelination of the white matter. Electromyography recording highlighted the presence of a predominantly motor pattern of chronic polyneuropathy. Homovallinic acid and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid values were lower than usual. Treatment with levodopa/carbidopa was not effective. Case 2: 11-month-old girl, the sister of the boy in the previous case. The patient presented severe underdevelopment in all areas and microcephaly with spastic tetraparesis was detected in the clinical examination. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head showed findings that could be superimposed upon those of the brother, with hypomyelination, cerebellar atrophy and involvement of the putamen and both caudates; electromyography findings were consistent with motor polyneuropathy of a demyelinating nature. Homovallinic acid and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid values in cerebrospinal fluid were lower than usual. Treatment with levodopa/carbidopa was ineffective. CONCLUSIONS: These two new cases help characterise this condition better and reinforce the hypothesis of the genetic origin of the syndrome, given that the two cases occurred in the same family.
TITLE: Hipomielinizacion con atrofia de ganglios basales y de cerebelo. Aportacion de dos nuevos casos a una entidad de descripcion reciente.Introduccion. La hipomielinizacion con atrofia de ganglios basales y de cerebelo (H-ABC) es una rara entidad descrita recientemente. Se presentan dos nuevos casos pertenecientes a una misma familia. Casos clinicos. Caso 1: niño de 17 meses con retraso grave en todas las areas, ausencia de lenguaje y de contacto visual. En la exploracion destacaba una microcefalia con tetraparesia espastica. En la resonancia magnetica cerebral se apreciaba atrofia cerebelosa de predominio vermiano con perdida de volumen de ambos nucleos del putamen y la cabeza del caudado, y patron de hipomielinizacion de la sustancia blanca. En la electromiografia se objetivo un patron de polineuropatia cronica de predominio motor. Presento un descenso de los valores de acido homovalinico y de acido 5-hidroxindolacetico. El tratamiento con levodopa/carbidopa no fue efectivo. Caso 2: niña de 11 meses, hermana del caso anterior. Presentaba un retraso grave en todas las areas y en la exploracion clinica se detecto una microcefalia con tetraparesia espastica. La resonancia magnetica cerebral mostro hallazgos superponibles a los del hermano, con hipomielinizacion, atrofia cerebelosa y afectacion putaminal y de ambos caudados; en la electromiografia, hallazgos compatibles con polineuropatia motora de caracter desmielinizante. Presento un descenso de los valores de acido homovalinico y acido 5-hidroxindolacetico en el liquido cefalorraquideo. El tratamiento con levodopa/carbidopa resulto ineficaz. Conclusiones. Estos dos nuevos casos ayudan a caracterizar mejor esta entidad y refuerzan la hipotesis del origen genetico del sindrome, dado que se trata de dos casos pertenecientes a una misma familia.