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Alexander disease

Thursday 18 March 2004

Autosomal dominant neurological disease.

Synopsis

 Progressive macrocephaly
 Hydrocephalus
 Diffuse demyelination
 Coarsened pattern of sulci and gyri
 Presence of Rosenthal fibers (eosinophilic bodies near astrocyte filaments) in astrocytes
 Presence of glial fibrillary acidic proteins (GFAP) in astrocytes
 Elevated CSF protein

Etiology

 germline mutations in GFAP protein

References

 Li R, Messing A, Goldman JE, Brenner M. GFAP mutations in Alexander disease. Int J Dev Neurosci. 2002 Jun-Aug;20(3-5):259-68. PMID: 12175861