POLR3A-related disorders: From spastic ataxia to generalised dystonia and long-term efficacy of deep brain stimulation

Ann Clin Transl Neurol. 2024 Jun;11(6):1636-1642. doi: 10.1002/acn3.52064. Epub 2024 May 3.

Abstract

While biallelic POLR3A loss-of-function variants are traditionally linked to hypomyelinating leukodystrophy, patients with a specific splice variant c.1909+22G>A manifest as adolescent-onset spastic ataxia without overt leukodystrophy. In this study, we reported eight new cases, POLR3A-related disorder with c.1909+22 variant. One of these patients showed expanded phenotypic spectrum of generalised dystonia and her sister remained asymptomatic except for hypodontia. Two patients with dystonic arm tremor responded to deep brain stimulation. In our systemic literature review, we found that POLR3A-related disorder with c.1909+22 variant has attenuated disease severity but frequency of dystonia and upper limb tremor did not differ among genotypes.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Deep Brain Stimulation*
  • Dystonia* / genetics
  • Dystonia* / therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intellectual Disability
  • Male
  • Muscle Spasticity / genetics
  • Muscle Spasticity / therapy
  • Optic Atrophy
  • RNA Polymerase III* / genetics
  • Spinocerebellar Ataxias / genetics
  • Spinocerebellar Ataxias / physiopathology
  • Spinocerebellar Ataxias / therapy
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • POLR3A protein, human
  • RNA Polymerase III

Supplementary concepts

  • Spastic Ataxia