CP Gene

Aceruloplasminemia is a disorder in which iron gradually accumulates in the brain and other organs. Iron accumulation in the brain results in neurological problems that generally appear in adulthood and worsen over time.

People with aceruloplasminemia develop a variety of movement problems. They may experience involuntary muscle contractions (dystonia) of the head and neck, resulting in repetitive movements and contortions. Other involuntary movements may also occur, such as rhythmic shaking (tremors), jerking movements (chorea), eyelid twitching (blepharospasm), and grimacing. Affected individuals may also have difficulty with coordination (ataxia). Some develop psychiatric problems and a decline of intellectual function (dementia) in their forties or fifties.

In addition to neurological problems, affected individuals may have diabetes mellitus caused by iron damage to cells in the pancreas that make insulin, a hormone that helps control blood sugar levels. Iron accumulation in the pancreas reduces the cells' ability to make insulin, which impairs blood sugar regulation and leads to the signs and symptoms of diabetes.

Iron accumulation in the tissues and organs results in a corresponding shortage (deficiency) of iron in the blood, leading to a shortage of red blood cells (anemia). Anemia and diabetes usually occur by the time an affected person is in his or her twenties.

Affected individuals also have changes in the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (retina) caused by excess iron. The changes result in small opaque spots and areas of tissue degeneration (atrophy) around the edges of the retina. These abnormalities usually do not affect vision but can be observed during an eye examination.

The specific features of aceruloplasminemia and their severity may vary, even within the same family.

Pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (formerly called Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome) is a disorder of the nervous system. This condition is characterized by progressive difficulty with movement, typically beginning in childhood. Movement abnormalities include involuntary muscle spasms, rigidity, and trouble with walking that worsens over time. Many people with this condition also develop problems with speech (dysarthria), and some develop vision loss. Additionally, affected individuals may experience a loss of intellectual function (dementia) and psychiatric symptoms such as behavioral problems, personality changes, and depression.

Pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration is characterized by an abnormal buildup of iron in certain areas of the brain. A particular change called the eye-of-the-tiger sign, which indicates an accumulation of iron, is typically seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the brain in people with this disorder.

Researchers have described classic and atypical forms of pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration. The classic form usually appears in early childhood, causing severe problems with movement that worsen rapidly. Features of the atypical form appear later in childhood or adolescence and progress more slowly. Signs and symptoms vary, but the atypical form is more likely than the classic form to involve speech defects and psychiatric problems.

A condition called HARP (hypoprebetalipoproteinemia, acanthocytosis, retinitis pigmentosa, and pallidal degeneration) syndrome, which was historically described as a separate syndrome, is now considered part of pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration.