The ocular motor features of adult-onset alexander disease: a case and review of the literature

J Neuroophthalmol. 2011 Jun;31(2):155-9. doi: 10.1097/WNO.0b013e31820ecb28.

Abstract

A 51-year-old Chinese man presented with gaze-evoked nystagmus, impaired smooth pursuit and vestibular ocular reflex cancellation, and saccadic dysmetria, along with a family history suggestive of late-onset autosomal dominant parkinsonism. MRI revealed abnormalities of the medulla and cervical spinal cord typical of adult-onset Alexander disease, and genetic testing showed homozygosity for the p.D295N polymorphic allele in the gene encoding the glial fibrillary acidic protein. A review of the literature shows that ocular signs are frequent in adult-onset Alexander disease, most commonly gaze-evoked nystagmus, pendular nystagmus, and/or oculopalatal myoclonus, and less commonly ptosis, miosis, and saccadic dysmetria. These signs are consistent with the propensity of adult-onset Alexander disease to cause medullary abnormalities on neuroimaging.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Alexander Disease / genetics
  • Alexander Disease / pathology
  • Alexander Disease / physiopathology*
  • Brain / pathology
  • Evoked Potentials / physiology
  • Genetic Testing / methods
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / genetics
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Ocular Motility Disorders / etiology*
  • Ocular Motility Disorders / genetics
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / genetics

Substances

  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein