Peroxisomal bifunctional enzyme deficiency: serial neurophysiological examinations of a case

We report on a case of 21-month-old girl with peroxisomal bifunctional enzyme deficiency, which was diagnosed by means of complementation analysis. Serial neurophysiological examinations were also carried out. The motor and sensory nerve conduction velocities of the median nerve showed lower borderline values at 3 months of age and were within range at 11 months of age. Later, those velocities gradually decreased. The electrically elicited blink reflex at 3 months of age showed the prolongation of latencies of R1, R2 and R2' and the interpeak latencies of R1-R2 and R1-R2'. Furthermore, R1, R2 and R2' showed prolonged latencies at 11 months of age and were absent at 15 months of age. The auditory brainstem response (ABR) showed, bilaterally, normal latency of wave I, prolonged interpeak latencies of waves I-V. At 11 months of age, waves III and IV-V of ABR were detected, but their amplitude was very low. At the age of 15 months ABR was absent. These results and the following report are valuable for understanding the pathogenesis of neurological symptoms.