An autopsy case of autosomal-recessive juvenile parkinsonism with a homozygous exon 4 deletion in the parkin gene

Mov Disord. 2000 Sep;15(5):884-8. doi: 10.1002/1531-8257(200009)15:5<884::aid-mds1019>3.0.co;2-8.

Abstract

We report the neuropathologic and genetic features of a 70-year-old man with autosomal-recessive juvenile parkinsonism (AR-JP). At the age of 32 years, he developed a dystonic gait, followed by hand tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and impaired postural reflex. Levodopa was effective in ameliorating these symptoms. Pathologic examination of autopsy specimens from this patient revealed loss of pigmented neurons and gliosis in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNPC), being most pronounced in the medial and ventrolateral regions, and locus ceruleus (LC). The melanin content of the remaining SNPC neurons was low. This feature was less marked in the LC. There were no Lewy bodies, as confirmed by immunostaining for alpha-synuclein. An additional, significant finding in this patient was neuronal loss and fibrillary gliosis in the substantia nigra pars reticulata; this feature has not been reported previously in AR-JP. Gene analysis revealed that this autopsied patient and his siblings had the parkin gene mutation (homozygous exon 4 deletion) that is responsible for the disease.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Autopsy
  • Brain / pathology
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Gene Deletion*
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Homozygote
  • Humans
  • Ligases / genetics*
  • Locus Coeruleus / pathology*
  • Male
  • Melanins / metabolism
  • Mutation*
  • Parkinson Disease / genetics*
  • Parkinson Disease / metabolism
  • Parkinson Disease / pathology*
  • Pedigree
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Substantia Nigra / pathology*
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases

Substances

  • Melanins
  • neuromelanin
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
  • Ligases