Abstract

Andermann syndrome also known as agenesis of corpus callosum with neuronopathy (ACCPN), Charlevoix disease among others is a very rare neurodegenerative genetic disorder that damages the nerves used to control muscles and related to sensation, and is often associated with agenesis of the corpus collosum.

It was first described by Eva Andermann et al. in 1972.

Symptoms

Symptoms begin in infancy and include:

- hypotonia

- areflexia

- amyotrophy

- variable degrees of dysgenesis of the corpus callosum

- mild to severe intellectual and developmental delay

- psychiatric problems including paranoid delusions, depression, hallucinations and autistic-like behavior

Genetics

The inheritance pattern is autosomal recessive. Several genes have been associated with the disorder, including SLC12A6.

Treatment

There is currently no cure, but some symptoms may be treated such as neuroleptics for the psychiatric problems.

Prognosis

The prognosis is poor. Patients are usually wheelchair bound by their 20s and die by their 30s.

Prevalence

The prevalence rate has been estimated to be less than 1/1,000,000 worldwide. However, it is much more common in the French-Canadian population of the Saguenay and Lac-St-Jean regions of Quebec, Canada, where it has a frequency of about 1 in 2100 in live births, and a carrier rate of 1 in 23.