Prenatal brain disruption in molybdenum cofactor deficiency

Molybdenum cofactor deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disorder that may present during the neonatal period with intractable seizures and be mistaken for ischemic encephalopathy. We describe a patient whose prenatal sonography at 35 weeks' gestation revealed diffuse brain damage with multiple subcortical cavities, ventriculomegaly, dysgenesis of the corpus callosum, and a hypoplastic cerebellum with an enlarged cisterna magna. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) later revealed brain atrophy, and multicystic encephalomalacia with hypoplastic vermis and cerebellum. Neurological examination at 10 months showed microcephaly, profound mental retardation, and spasticity. Uric acid was low, and taurine and xanthine were increased in the urine. A sulfite test was positive. The diagnosis of molybdenum cofactor deficiency was made. Sulfite oxidase activity in fibroblasts was undetectable. The patient was found to be homozygous for the 251-418del in the MOCS1 gene. This is the first description of the prenatal development of severe brain disruption in molybdenum cofactor deficiency.