Sex-linked myopic chorioretinal heredodegeneration

Progressive cone-rod dystrophy and high myopia in a Finnish family

Progressive cone-rod dystrophy was diagnosed in a 35-year-old man (the proband). In the family study, 29 of the relatives were examined. The brother of the proband was also found to have cone-rod dystrophy. In the family of the mother of the proband, there were four men who had high myopia possibly connected with cone-rod dystrophy. The other relatives had no signs of cone-rod dystrophy or high myopia. The relatives not examined were reported healthy with no eye trouble. The disorder could be autosomal recessive hereditary if only the confirmed cone-rod dystrophy of the proband and his brother is taken in consideration. However, no relationships between the families of the mother and father of the proband could be found going back to the year 1830. Therefore, the autosomal recessive inheritance was not established. The most probable mode of inheritance would be X-chromosomal recessive if high myopia and cone-rod dystrophy are thought to be parts of the same syndrome.

Aland eye disease: no albino misrouting

Electrophysiological studies showed that a patient with Aland eye disease had no misrouting of the optic pathways which is always found in all forms of albinism as a consequence of the retino-geniculate anomaly. Also the spontaneous and optokinetic nystagmus did not resemble that of the large majority of human albinos. The marked asymmetry found in this patient seems to be typical for humans with a defective development of foveal binocular vision. These findings are in agreement with clinical, nystagmographic and EM findings that Aland eye disease is distinct from the Nettleship-Falls type of X-linked ocular albinism. Furthermore, Aland eye disease is different from X-chromosomal congenital stationary night blindness with myopia by the fact that the scotopic functions are only moderately affected and there is no restriction of the peripheral photopic visual fields. In addition, there is latent nystagmus of extraocular type that appears also in female carriers. There is no ophthalmoplegia, there is a progression of the myopia and the dyschromatopsia is of secondary type.

A study of retinitis pigmentosa in the City of Birmingham. II Clinical and genetic heterogeneity

This is a study of 138 index patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and their families, in which the selection of index patients was solely on the basis of their residence in Birmingham. Clinical analysis showed that severe disease was as likely to indicate dominant or non-genetic RP as to indicate recessive disease, and that each of three genetic types of uncomplicated RP could probably be divided into two entities. Autosomal dominant RP accounted for at least 22% of index patients but this was likely to be an underestimate because of the low penetrance of the disease. Autosomal recessive disease accounted for not more than 10% of index patients and its rarity was indicated by a high consanguinity rate. Recognisable X linked disease occurred in about 14% of index patients, a similar figure to other studies. The 37% of patients with uncomplicated RP and no obviously affected relative have either autosomal dominant RP or non-genetic RP; it is difficult to know the relative proportions of each. The risks for descendants of patients with recessive disease are clear. The risks of symptomatic RP in the offspring of patients who do, or who might have, dominant RP range from 1 in 2 to 1 in 37 according to the family history and the severity of the RP.

Night blindness, characteristic facies, and skeletal abnormalities in two brothers

Two brothers are described with a similar physical appearance characterised by minor periorbital anomalies, malar flatness, a maxillary overbite, retrognathia, sloping shoulders, joint hyperextensibility, and minor radiological anomalies. In addition, they had a slowly progressing night blindness, myopia, and extinguished electroretinograms. The mother had mild expression of some of the physical anomalies and a decreased electroretinogram response to red light. We have been unable to find any report of similarly affected children. The possible modes of inheritance are discussed.