Methylmalonic acidemia: Neurodevelopment and neuroimaging

Front Neurosci. 2023 Jan 26:17:1110942. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1110942. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) is a genetic disease of abnormal organic acid metabolism, which is one of the important factors affecting the survival rate and quality of life of newborns or infants. Early detection and diagnosis are particularly important. The diagnosis of MMA mainly depends on clinical symptoms, newborn screening, biochemical detection, gene sequencing and neuroimaging diagnosis. The accumulation of methylmalonic acid and other metabolites in the body of patients causes brain tissue damage, which can manifest as various degrees of intellectual disability and severe neurological dysfunction. Neuroimaging examination has important clinical significance in the diagnosis and prognosis of MMA. This review mainly reviews the etiology, pathogenesis, and nervous system development, especially the neuroimaging features of MMA.

Keywords: diagnosis; methylmalonic acidemia; nervous system injury; neurodevelopmental characteristics; neuroimaging.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the Technology Development Plan of Jinan (202134072 and 202225035), Science and Technology Project of Jinan Municipal Health Commission (2021-2-89 and 2021-2-93), and Special Fund for Scientific and Technological Innovation of Shandong Maternal and Child Health Care Commission (Lu Fu You Xie Fa 2021-19).