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Muthinja MJ, Guelngar CO, Fall M, Jama F, Shuja HA, Nambafu J, Massi DG, Ojo OO, Okubadejo NU, Taiwo FT, Diop AM, de Chacus CJDG, Cissé FA, Cissé A, Hooker J, Sokhi D, Houlden H, Rizig M. An exploration of the genetics of the mutant Huntingtin (mHtt) gene in a cohort of patients with chorea from different ethnic groups in sub-Saharan Africa. Ann Hum Genet 2024. [PMID: 38563088 DOI: 10.1111/ahg.12557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Africans are underrepresented in Huntington's disease (HD) research. A European ancestor was postulated to have introduced the mutant Huntingtin (mHtt) gene to the continent; however, recent work has shown the existence of a unique Htt haplotype in South-Africa specific to indigenous Africans. OBJECTIVE We aimed to investigate the CAG trinucleotide repeats expansion in the Htt gene in a geographically diverse cohort of patients with chorea and unaffected controls from sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS We evaluated 99 participants: 43 patients with chorea, 21 asymptomatic first-degree relatives of subjects with chorea, and 35 healthy controls for the presence of the mHtt. Participants were recruited from 5 African countries. Additional data were collected from patients positive for the mHtt gene; these included demographics, the presence of psychiatric and (or) cognitive symptoms, family history, spoken languages, and ethnic origin. Additionally, their pedigrees were examined to estimate the number of people at risk of developing HD and to trace back the earliest account of the disease in each region. RESULTS HD cases were identified in all countries. Overall, 53.4% of patients with chorea were carriers for the mHTT; median tract size was 45 CAG repeats. Of the asymptomatic relatives, 28.6% (6/21) were carriers for the mHTT; median tract size was 40 CAG. No homozygous carries were identified. Median CAG tract size in controls was 17 CAG repeats. Men and women were equally affected by HD. All patients with HD-bar three who were juvenile onset of <21 years-were defined as adult onset (median age of onset was 40 years). HD transmission followed an autosomal dominant pattern in 84.2% (16/19) of HD families. In familial cases, maternal transmission was higher 52.6% (10/19) than paternal transmission 36.8% (7/19). The number of asymptomatic individuals at risk of developing HD was estimated at ten times more than the symptomatic patients. HD could be traced back to the early 1900s in most African sites. HD cases spread over seven ethnic groups belonging to two distinct linguistic lineages separated from each other approximately 54-16 kya ago: Nilo-Sahara and Niger-Congo. CONCLUSION This is the first study examining HD in multiple sites in sub-Saharan Africa. We demonstrated that HD is found in multiple ethnic groups residing in five sub-Saharan African countries including the first genetically confirmed HD cases from Guinea and Kenya. The prevalence of HD in the African continent, its associated socio-economic impact, and genetic origins need further exploration and reappraisal.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlos Othon Guelngar
- Department of Neurology, National Hospital Ignace Deen, University of Conakry, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Maouly Fall
- Centre Hospitalier National de Pikine, Service de Neurologie, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Fatumah Jama
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Huda Aldeen Shuja
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Jamila Nambafu
- Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University Medical College of East Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Daniel Gams Massi
- Doula General Hospital, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
| | - Oluwadamilola O Ojo
- Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Njideka U Okubadejo
- Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
| | | | | | | | - Fodé Abass Cissé
- Department of Neurology, National Hospital Ignace Deen, University of Conakry, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Amara Cissé
- Department of Neurology, National Hospital Ignace Deen, University of Conakry, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Juzar Hooker
- Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University Medical College of East Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Dilraj Sokhi
- Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University Medical College of East Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Henry Houlden
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Mie Rizig
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
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Bocoum A, Coulibaly T, Ouologuem M, Cissé L, Diallo SH, Maiga BB, Dembélé K, Diallo S, Coulibaly SDP, Kané F, Coulibaly T, Coulibaly D, Taméga A, Yalcouyé A, Diarra S, Dembélé ME, Maiga AB, Cissé CAK, Traoré O, Fischbeck KH, Guinto CO, Maiga Y, Landouré G. Clinical and Genetic Aspects of Huntington's Disease in the Malian Population. J Huntingtons Dis 2022; 11:195-201. [PMID: 35311712 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-220529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutation in the HTT gene and characterized by involuntary movements as well as cognitive and behavioral impairment. Since its first description 150 years ago, studies have been reported worldwide. However, genetically confirmed cases have been scarce in Africa. OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical and genetic aspects of HD in the Malian population. METHODS Patients with HD phenotype and their relatives were enrolled after obtaining consent. Symptoms were assessed using the Total Motor Scale (TMS) of the United Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Brain imaging and blood tests were performed to exclude other causes. DNA was extracted for HTT sequencing. RESULTS Eighteen patients (13 families) with a HD phenotype were evaluated. A familial history of the disease was found in 84.6% with 55.5% of maternal transmission. The average length of the HTT CAG repeat was 43.6±11.5 (39-56) CAGs. The mean age at onset was 43.1±9.7years. Choreic movements were the predominant symptoms (100% of the cases) with an average TMS of 49.4±30.8, followed by cognitive impairment (average MMSE score: 23.0±12.0) and psychiatric symptoms with 22.2% and 44.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION This is one of the largest HD cohorts reported in Africa. Increasing access to genetic testing could uncover many other HD cases and disease-modifying genetic variants. Future haplotype and psychosocial studies may inform the origin of the Malian mutation and the impact of the disease on patients and their relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdoulaye Bocoum
- Faculté de Médecine et d'Odontostomatologie, USTTB, Bamako, Mali
| | | | | | - Lassana Cissé
- Service de Neurologie, CHU du Point "G", Bamako, Mali
| | - Seybou H Diallo
- Faculté de Médecine et d'Odontostomatologie, USTTB, Bamako, Mali.,Service de Neurologie, CHU de Gabriel Touré, Bamako, Mali
| | | | | | | | - Souleymane Dit Papa Coulibaly
- Faculté de Médecine et d'Odontostomatologie, USTTB, Bamako, Mali.,Service de Psychiatrie, CHU du Point "G", Bamako, Mali
| | - Fousseyni Kané
- Faculté de Médecine et d'Odontostomatologie, USTTB, Bamako, Mali
| | - Thomas Coulibaly
- Faculté de Médecine et d'Odontostomatologie, USTTB, Bamako, Mali.,Service de Neurologie, CHU du Point "G", Bamako, Mali
| | | | - Abdoulaye Taméga
- Faculté de Médecine et d'Odontostomatologie, USTTB, Bamako, Mali
| | | | - Salimata Diarra
- Faculté de Médecine et d'Odontostomatologie, USTTB, Bamako, Mali.,Service de Psychiatrie, CHU du Point "G", Bamako, Mali
| | | | - Alassane B Maiga
- Faculté de Médecine et d'Odontostomatologie, USTTB, Bamako, Mali
| | - Cheick A K Cissé
- Faculté de Médecine et d'Odontostomatologie, USTTB, Bamako, Mali
| | - Oumou Traoré
- Faculté de Médecine et d'Odontostomatologie, USTTB, Bamako, Mali
| | | | - Cheick O Guinto
- Faculté de Médecine et d'Odontostomatologie, USTTB, Bamako, Mali.,Service de Neurologie, CHU du Point "G", Bamako, Mali
| | - Youssoufa Maiga
- Faculté de Médecine et d'Odontostomatologie, USTTB, Bamako, Mali.,Service de Neurologie, CHU de Gabriel Touré, Bamako, Mali
| | - Guida Landouré
- Faculté de Médecine et d'Odontostomatologie, USTTB, Bamako, Mali.,Service de Neurologie, CHU du Point "G", Bamako, Mali.,Neurogenetics Branch, NINDS, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Akinyemi RO, Yaria J, Ojagbemi A, Guerchet M, Okubadejo N, Njamnshi AK, Sarfo FS, Akpalu A, Ogbole G, Ayantayo T, Adokonou T, Paddick SM, Ndetei D, Bosche J, Ayele B, Damas A, Coker M, Mbakile-Mahlanza L, Ranchod K, Bobrow K, Anazodo U, Damasceno A, Seshadri S, Pericak-Vance M, Lawlor B, Miller BL, Owolabi M, Baiyewu O, Walker R, Gureje O, Kalaria RN, Ogunniyi A. Dementia in Africa: Current evidence, knowledge gaps, and future directions. Alzheimers Dement 2022; 18:790-809. [PMID: 34569714 PMCID: PMC8957626 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In tandem with the ever-increasing aging population in low and middle-income countries, the burden of dementia is rising on the African continent. Dementia prevalence varies from 2.3% to 20.0% and incidence rates are 13.3 per 1000 person-years with increasing mortality in parts of rapidly transforming Africa. Differences in nutrition, cardiovascular factors, comorbidities, infections, mortality, and detection likely contribute to lower incidence. Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-associated neurocognitive disorders are the most common dementia subtypes. Comprehensive longitudinal studies with robust methodology and regional coverage would provide more reliable information. The apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele is most studied but has shown differential effects within African ancestry compared to Caucasian. More candidate gene and genome-wide association studies are needed to relate to dementia phenotypes. Validated culture-sensitive cognitive tools not influenced by education and language differences are critically needed for implementation across multidisciplinary groupings such as the proposed African Dementia Consortium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rufus O Akinyemi
- Neuroscience and Ageing Research Unit, Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Centre for Genomic and Precision Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Department of Neurology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Joseph Yaria
- Department of Neurology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Akin Ojagbemi
- Department of Psychiatry University College Hospital/College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Maëlenn Guerchet
- INSERM, Univ. Limoges, CHU Limoges, IRD, U1094 Tropical Neuroepidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology and Tropical Neurology, GEIST, Limoges, France
| | - Njideka Okubadejo
- Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi Araba, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Alfred K Njamnshi
- Department of Neurology, Yaoundé Central Hospital/Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN), Geneva, Switzerland/Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Fred S Sarfo
- Department of Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Albert Akpalu
- Department of Medicine, University of Ghana Medical School/Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana
| | - Godwin Ogbole
- Department of Radiology, University College Hospital/College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Temitayo Ayantayo
- Neuroscience and Ageing Research Unit, Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Thierry Adokonou
- Department of Neurology, University Teaching Hospital, Parakou, Benin
| | - Stella-Maria Paddick
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, UK/Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, Gateshead, UK
| | - David Ndetei
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi and African Meatal Health and Training Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Judith Bosche
- Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College, Moshi, Tanzania
| | - Biniyam Ayele
- College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Andrea Damas
- Mirembe Mental Health Hospital, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Motunrayo Coker
- Neuroscience and Ageing Research Unit, Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Lingani Mbakile-Mahlanza
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Kirti Ranchod
- Lufuno Neuropsychiatry Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Kirsten Bobrow
- Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Udunna Anazodo
- Lawson Health Research Institute / Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Albertino Damasceno
- Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Sudha Seshadri
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Margaret Pericak-Vance
- John T. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics and the Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Brian Lawlor
- Global Brain Health Institute, Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Bruce L Miller
- Global Brain Health Institute, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Mayowa Owolabi
- Neuroscience and Ageing Research Unit, Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Centre for Genomic and Precision Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Department of Neurology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Olusegun Baiyewu
- Department of Psychiatry University College Hospital/College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Richard Walker
- Neuroscience and Ageing Research Unit, Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Department of Medicine, North Tyneside General Hospital, North Shields, UK
| | - Oye Gureje
- Department of Psychiatry University College Hospital/College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Rajesh N Kalaria
- Neuroscience and Ageing Research Unit, Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
| | - Adesola Ogunniyi
- Neuroscience and Ageing Research Unit, Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Department of Neurology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
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Hussain Z, Mukherjee A, Ganguly G, Joardar A, Roy S, Guin DS, Sinharoy U, Biswas A, Das SK. "Clinical Profile of Genetically Proven Huntington's Disease Patients from Eastern India". Ann Indian Acad Neurol 2020; 23:195-200. [PMID: 32189861 PMCID: PMC7061496 DOI: 10.4103/aian.aian_505_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aims: To study the clinical profile of genetically proven Huntington's disease (HD) patients from eastern India. Methods: This cross sectional study selected patients of HD after genetic confirmation of expanded CAG repeats in Huntingtin (HTT) gene. We performed detail clinical evaluation including cognitive and neuropsychological assessment, and imaging of brain. Results: This study included 75 patients (male: 57.3%; female: 42.7%). Mean age at onset was 37.12 (range 16-62) years; juvenile variety (onset below 20 years) was detected in 5.3%. Paternal transmission was commoner. Manifestations at onset were motor in 81.3% patients, behavioral in 10.7% and cognitive impairment in 8%. After chorea, next common movement disorder was dystonia. Frontal lobe dysfunction was found in 77.3% patients. Behavioral disturbances were observed in 77.3% patients and commonly manifested as depression, irritable behavior and anxiety. Among the three onset groups (motor/behavioral/cognitive), there was no significant difference regarding age at onset, gender distribution, pattern of inheritance (paternal/maternal), and at the time of evaluation, all groups had essentially similar pattern of clinical features. Mean CAG repeat of the patients was 48.25 (range 40-79). Our study showed some differing clinical characteristics compared to previous studies from the Indian subcontinent. Conclusion: Clinical features in our study showed differences from previous studies from the Indian subcontinent. We had more cognitive-onset patients. However, behavioral onset was lower in our study. Motor, behavioral and cognitive onset groups of HD were comparable regarding demographics, family history, CAG repeat lengths and major clinical features at the time of evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zakir Hussain
- Department of Neurology, Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, IPGME and R, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Adreesh Mukherjee
- Department of Neurology, Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, IPGME and R, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Goutam Ganguly
- Department of Neurology, Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, IPGME and R, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Anindita Joardar
- Department of Neurogenetics, Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, IPGME and R, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Sarnava Roy
- Department of Neurogenetics, Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, IPGME and R, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Deb Sankar Guin
- Department of Neurology, Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, IPGME and R, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Uma Sinharoy
- Department of Neurology, Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, IPGME and R, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Atanu Biswas
- Department of Neurology, Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, IPGME and R, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Shyamal Kumar Das
- Department of Neurology, Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, IPGME and R, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.,Department of Neurogenetics, Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, IPGME and R, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
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Tumwine JK. From sexual orientation to cochlear transplants in a tropical environment. Afr Health Sci 2016. [PMID: 26958043 DOI: 10.4314/ahs.v15i4.] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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