| A rare genetic human prion disease characterized by adult-onset neurodegenerative manifestations associated with a movement disorder and psychiatric/behavioral disturbances. Patients typically present personality changes, aggressiveness, manias, anxiety and/or depression in conjunction with rapidly progressive cognitive decline (presenting with dysarthria, apraxia, aphasia and eventually leading to dementia) as well as ataxia (manifesting with gait disturbances, unsteadiness, coordination problems), Parkinsonism, myoclonus, and/or chorea. Additional features may include generalized spasticity, seizures, urine incontinence and pyramidal abnormalities. There is evidence the disease is caused by 8 extra octapeptide repeats in the PRNP gene on chromosome 20p13. |
