A case of infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy of neonatal onset

Infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy is a rare neurodegenerative disorder, with onset in the first or second year of life. Mutations in the PLA2G6 gene encoding iPLA2-VI, a calcium-independent phospholipase, have been identified in these children. In classic infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy-affected children, psychomotor regression is the most frequent presentation, usually with ataxia and optic atrophy, followed by the development of tetraparesis. We report a child carrying a homozygous mutation in the PLA2G6 gene with neonatal onset of disease and somewhat different clinical phenotype such as severe congenital hypotonia, marked weakness, and bulbar signs suggesting that infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy can start at birth with atypical phenotype.