Background: Tongue protrusion dystonia is an uncommon focal dystonia involving the lingual muscles. Causes of tongue protrusion dystonia include tardive dystonia, posthypoxic dystonia, neuroacanthocytosis, pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration, and Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.
Method: We summarize three children with pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration and tongue protrusion dystonia. All three patients underwent careful neurological examination, brain magnetic resonance imaging, and genetic testing.
Results: Tongue protrusion dystonia was a prominent and disabling symptom in all three patients. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed a typical eye of the tiger sign in all patients. Two patients had the same genetic mutation (c.1168 A>T mutation, p.I390F).
Conclusions: Tongue protrusion dystonia may be a clue to the underlying etiology of dystonia, including hereditary forms of dystonia. Among them, pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration is an important cause, especially in children.
Keywords: Lingual dystonia; NBIA; Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation; PKAN; Pantothenate kinase-associated; Tongue protrusion dystonia.
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