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ArticleNeurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology2025

Neuropsychological profile of POLR3A-related spastic ataxia.

Gert Cypers, Zoë Delaruelle, Jan Van den Stock

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Article in Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

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3 authors.

Gert CypersMemory Clinic, Department of Neurology, Onze-Lieve-Vrouwziekenhuis, Aalst, Belgium. gert.cypers@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5580-4688
Zoë DelaruelleMemory Clinic, Department of Neurology, Onze-Lieve-Vrouwziekenhuis, Aalst, Belgium.
Jan Van den StockMemory Clinic, Department of Neurology, Onze-Lieve-Vrouwziekenhuis, Aalst, Belgium.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectivesPOLR3-related disorders are a group of autosomal recessive neurodegenerative diseases that usually cause leukodystrophy and can lead to cognitive dysfunction. Literature reporting comprehensive neuropsychological assessment in POLR3A-related diseases is sparse. Here we describe the neuropsychological profile of a case of childhood-onset POLR3A-related spastic ataxia without leukodystrophy.

methodsExtensive neuropsychological assessment covering the domains of attention, executive function, memory, language, visuospatial processing and social cognition in a patient with a compound heterozygous POLR3Amutation (c.2000T>A (p.Leu667*) / c.1909+22G>A) and a spastic ataxic phenotype.

resultsNeuropsychological testing showed a marked slowing of basic information processing (reading, colour naming on Stroop test), executive deficits (alternating attention through Letter-Digit Substitution Test and semantic word fluency) and social cognition impairment (facial emotion recognition via Facial Expressive Action Stimulus Test, intention and emotion attribution via Story-based Empathy Task). DISCUSSION: While originally described as a typical hypomyelination disorder, leukodystrophy nor striatal lesions seem pivotal to cognitive dysfunction in POLR3-related disease, as demonstrated in this patient. Further investigation of a larger cohort of (c.1909 + 22G>A) heterozygous patients is warranted to reveal which neuropsychological features correspond to this less aggressive phenotype.

Indexed as

Muscle SpasticityRNA Polymerase IIISpinocerebellar AtaxiasExecutive FunctionHumansIntellectual DisabilityNeuropsychological TestsOptic AtrophyPOLR3A protein, humanRNA Polymerase IIICognitivePOLR3ASpastic ataxia

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