J Korean Child Neurol Soc.  2007 Nov;15(2):199-204.

A Case of Menkes disease with Infantile Spasm

• Ahn SH
• Park SY
• Kang SG
• Lee JE
• Kwon YS
• Son BK
• Yoo HW

Abstract

Menkes disease, so called kinky-hair syndrome, is a rare, genetic and progressive neurodegenerative disorder. It is caused by a mutation in the ATP7A gene, which codes for the copper transporting ATPase in the cell organelles. The dysfunction of many copper-dependent enzymes results in low concentration of copper in some tissues and accumulation of copper in others. We report a boy presented with kinky hairs, developmental delay, hypotonia and connective tissue abnormalities at the age of 4 months. Despite the treatment with various antiepileptic drugs, atonic seizures still persisted. At the age of 7 months, his atonic seizures was changed into extensor spasms with modified hypsarrhythmia for some years. The seizure were controlled by topiramate and vigabatrin. At the age of 22 months, serum copper and ceruloplasmin rechecked as 17 ug/dL(80-150 ug/dL) and 7.3 mg/dL(20-46 mg/ dL) respectively. The gene study showed ATP7A mutation and the patient was diagnosed as Menkes disease so that copper-histidine was daily injected. We experienced a case of a 4-month-old boy with Menkes disease and infantile spasm, confirmed by ATP7A mutation.

Keyword

Menkes disease; Infantile spasm; ATP7A mutation

MeSH Terms

Adenosine Triphosphatases
Anticonvulsants
Ceruloplasmin
Connective Tissue
Copper
Hair
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Male
Menkes Kinky Hair Syndrome*
Muscle Hypotonia
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Organelles
Seizures
Spasm
Spasms, Infantile*
Vigabatrin
Adenosine Triphosphatases
Anticonvulsants
Ceruloplasmin
Copper
Vigabatrin