Benign hereditary chorea is a rare autosomal dominant disorder presenting with a childhood-onset and slowly progressive chorea. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical and genetic features of 3 patients who developed childhood-onset chorea. Three affected patients from three generations of a family with benign hereditary chorea associated with a multisystemic disorder of the basal ganglia, thyroid, lungs, salivary glands, bowels, and teeth. The TITF-1 gene was screened by microsatellite analysis, gene sequencing, and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Genetic analysis revealed a novel 0.9-Mb deletion on chromosome 14, which includes the TITF-1 and PAX9 genes. We have identified a novel deletion responsible for a new syndrome of benign hereditary chorea, including symptoms of brain-thyroid-lung syndrome associated with bowels, salivary glands, and teeth disorders. Associated signs, sometimes of slight expression, remain of high interest for the clinical and genetic diagnosis of benign hereditary chorea.
Copyright 2006 Movement Disorder Society.