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Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2FF (CMT2FF) is an autosomal dominant progressive axonal sensorimotor peripheral neuropathy characterized by early-childhood onset of difficulties walking or running due to atrophy and weakness of the lower limbs. Most patients have foot and ankle deformities, requiring surgery or walking aids. Some patients lose independent ambulation. There is also prominent involvement of the upper limbs, with weakness and atrophy of the forearm, wrist, and intrinsic hand muscles. Proximal muscle function is preserved. Affected individuals have variable distal sensory impairment. Most patients have hyporeflexia, although brisk reflexes, suggesting upper motor involvement, have been described in 1 family. Sural nerve biopsy showed abnormal myelination (Rebelo et al., 2021). For a phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of axonal CMT type 2, see CMT2A (118210). [from OMIM]

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease encompasses a group of disorders called hereditary sensory and motor neuropathies that damage the peripheral nerves. Peripheral nerves connect the brain and spinal cord to muscles and to sensory cells that detect sensations such as touch, pain, heat, and sound. Damage to the peripheral nerves that worsens over time can result in alteration or loss of sensation and wasting (atrophy) of muscles in the feet, legs, and hands.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease usually becomes apparent in adolescence or early adulthood, but onset may occur anytime from early childhood through late adulthood. Symptoms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease vary in severity and age of onset even among members of the same family. Some people never realize they have the disorder because their symptoms are so mild, but most have a moderate amount of physical disability. A small percentage of people experience severe weakness or other problems which, in very rare cases, can be life-threatening. In most affected individuals, however, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease does not affect life expectancy.

Typically, the earliest symptoms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease result from muscle atrophy in the feet. Affected individuals may have foot abnormalities such as high arches (pes cavus), flat feet (pes planus), or curled toes (hammer toes). They often have difficulty flexing the foot or walking on the heel of the foot. These difficulties may cause a higher than normal step (steppage gait) and increase the risk of ankle injuries and tripping. As the disease worsens, muscles in the lower legs usually weaken, but leg and foot problems rarely require the use of a wheelchair.

Affected individuals may also develop weakness in the hands, causing difficulty with daily activities such as writing, fastening buttons, and turning doorknobs. People with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease typically experience a decreased sensitivity to touch, heat, and cold in the feet and lower legs, but occasionally feel aching or burning sensations. In rare cases, affected individuals have loss of vision or gradual hearing loss that sometimes leads to deafness.

There are several types of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, which are differentiated by their effects on nerve cells and patterns of inheritance. Type 1 (CMT1) is characterized by abnormalities in myelin, the fatty substance that covers nerve cells, protecting them and helping to transmit nerve impulses. These abnormalities slow the transmission of nerve impulses and can affect the health of the nerve fiber. Type 2 (CMT2) is characterized by abnormalities in the fiber, or axon, that extends from a nerve cell body to muscles or to sense organs. These abnormalities reduce the strength of the nerve impulse. People with CMT2 may develop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a condition characterized by progressive muscle weakness, a loss of muscle mass, and an inability to control movement.In forms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease classified as intermediate type, the nerve impulses are both slowed and reduced in strength, probably due to abnormalities in both myelin and axons. Type 4 (CMT4) is distinguished from the other types by its pattern of inheritance; it can affect either the axons or the myelin. Type X Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMTX) is caused by mutations in genes on the X chromosome, one of the two sex chromosomes. Within the various types of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, subtypes (such as CMT1A, CMT1B, CMT2A, CMT4A, and CMTX1) indicate different genetic causes.

Sometimes other, historical names are used to refer to particular forms of  Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. For example, Roussy-Levy syndrome is a form of CMT11 with the additional feature of rhythmic shaking (tremors).  Dejerine-Sottas syndrome is a term sometimes used to describe a severe, early childhood form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease; it is also sometimes called type 3 (CMT3). Depending on the specific gene that is altered, this severe, early-onset form of the disorder may also be classified as CMT1 or CMT4. CMTX5 is also known as Rosenberg-Chutorian syndrome. [from MedlinePlus Genetics]

An increase in height of the medial longitudinal arch of the foot that does not flatten on weight bearing (i.e., a distinctly hollow form of the sole of the foot when it is bearing weight). [from HPO]

Absence of neurologic reflexes such as the knee-jerk reaction. [from HPO]

Peripheral neuropathy is a general term for any disorder of the peripheral nervous system. The main clinical features used to classify peripheral neuropathy are distribution, type (mainly demyelinating versus mainly axonal), duration, and course. [from HPO]

A state characterized by a feeling of weakness and loss of strength leading to a generalized weakness of the body. [from HPO]

Inflammation or degeneration of the peripheral motor nerves. [from MONDO]

A generalized disorder of peripheral nerves. [from HPO]

A group of slowly progressive inherited disorders affecting motor and sensory peripheral nerves. Subtypes include HMSNs I-VII. HMSN I and II both refer to CHARCOT-MARIE-Tooth DISEASE. HMSN III refers to hypertrophic neuropathy of infancy. HMSN IV refers to REFSUM DISEASE. HMSN V refers to a condition marked by a hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy associated with spastic paraplegia (see SPASTIC PARAPLEGIA, HEREDITARY). HMSN VI refers to HMSN associated with an inherited optic atrophy (OPTIC ATROPHIES, HEREDITARY), and HMSN VII refers to HMSN associated with retinitis pigmentosa. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p1343) [from MONDO]

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, dominant intermediate-A (CMTDIA) is an autosomal dominant peripheral neuropathy characterized by onset of symptoms in the first or second decades of life. Affected individuals have difficulty walking with muscle cramps of the lower limbs; the motor symptoms may be worsened by cold. The disorder is slowly progressive, eventually involving all 4 limbs, but patients remain ambulatory. After age 40, patients develop more severe features, including distal muscle weakness and atrophy, pes cavus, areflexia, and distal sensory loss. Electrophysiologic studies yield nerve conduction velocities with 'intermediate' values between demyelinating and axonal neuropathy (see below). One such family has been reported (Rossi et al., 1985). [from OMIM]

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2GG (CMT2GG) is an autosomal dominant axonal peripheral neuropathy characterized by slowly progressive distal muscle weakness and atrophy primarily affecting the lower limbs and causing difficulty walking. The onset is usually in adulthood, although rare patients may have mild symptoms from childhood. Some individuals may also have involvement of the hands. Although most patients have hypo- or areflexia at the ankles, distal sensory impairment is not always present, indicating a spectrum of disease encompassing both distal hereditary neuropathy and axonal CMT. Electrophysiologic studies are consistent with a axonal process (summary by Mendoza-Ferreira et al., 2020). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of axonal CMT, see CMT2A1 (118210). [from OMIM]

CMTDIF is an autosomal dominant neurologic disorder characterized by onset around adolescence of slowly progressive distal muscle atrophy and weakness affecting the upper and lower limbs and resulting in steppage gait. There is distal sensory impairment with decreased reflexes. Nerve conduction velocities are variable, ranging from the demyelinating to the axonal range (summary by Soong et al., 2013). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of CMTDI, see 606482. [from OMIM]

Peripheral sensory neuropathy affecting primarily distal sensation. [from HPO]

Telecanthus-hypertelorism-strabismus-pes cavus syndrome is characterized by telecanthus, hypertelorism, strabismus, pes cavus and other variable anomalies. It has been described in a father and his son. The son also had hypospadias, bilateral inguinal hernia, clinodactyly and camptodactyly of the fingers, and radiographic findings including flared metaphyses of the long bones and osteopenia. [from ORDO]

Syndrome with characteristics of distal, slowly progressive muscular weakness, childhood-onset amyotrophy, autonomic dysfunction characterised by profuse sweating, distal cyanosis related to cold weather, orthostatic hypotension, and oesophageal achalasia. It has been described in two sisters. Inheritance appears to be autosomal recessive. [from SNOMEDCT_US]

Abnormal alignment, positioning, or spacing of the teeth, i.e., misaligned teeth. [from HPO]

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder of the peripheral nervous system, characterized by progressive weakness and atrophy, initially of the peroneal muscles and later of the distal muscles of the arms. Classification CMT neuropathy is subdivided into CMT1 (see 118200) and CMT2 (see 118210) types on the basis of electrophysiologic and neuropathologic criteria. CMT1, or hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy type I (HMSN I), is a demyelinating neuropathy, whereas CMT2, or HMSN II, is an axonal neuropathy. Most patients with CMT are classified as having CMT1 or CMT2 by use of a cut-off value of 38 m/s for the motor median nerve conduction velocity (NCV). However, in some families with CMT, patients have motor median NCVs ranging from 25 to 45 m/s. Families of this type were reported by Salisachs (1974) and Davis et al. (1978). Davis et al. (1978) proposed that this form be designated 'intermediate' CMT. Claeys et al. (2009) stated that some CMT families may have an even broader range of NCV than 25 to 45 m/s, with the lowest levels around 25 and the highest levels within the normal range (50+ m/s). They also suggested that the term 'intermediate' should not be used to describe a single NCV value, but rather the CMT subtype at the level of the family (e.g., in families with a range or combinations of NCV values). Berciano et al. (2017) provided a detailed review of the different forms of intermediate CMT, noting that diagnoses may be controversial because of variable classification issues. The authors presented an algorithm for the interpretation of electrophysiologic studies in CMT, and suggested that nerve conduction studies should be conducted on the upper arm (axilla to elbow). They noted that distal axonal degeneration can result in secondary myelination defects, which may cause significantly decreased motor NCV and CMAP values that may be misinterpreted. Genetic Heterogeneity of Autosomal Dominant Intermediate CMT In addition to CMTDIB, which is caused by mutation in the DNM2 gene, other forms of dominant intermediate CMT include CMTDIA (620378), mapped to chromosome 10q24-q25; CMTDIC (608323), caused by mutation in the YARS gene (603623) on chromosome 1p35; CMTDID (607791), caused by mutation in the MPZ gene (159440) on chromosome 1q22; CMTDIE with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (CMTDIE; 614455), caused by mutation in the INF2 gene (610982) on chromosome 14q32; CMTDIF (615185), caused by mutation in the GNB4 gene (610863) on chromosome 3q26; and CMTDIG (617882), caused by mutation in the NEFL gene (162280) on chromosome 8p21. [from OMIM]