PURPOSE To determine whether pathogenic mutations exist in the ELOVL4 gene in patients with inherited retinal degenerations other than Stargardt-like macular dystrophy or other hereditary macular degenerations. METHODS All six exons comprising the open reading frame of the ELOVL4 gene were evaluated by single-strand conformation analysis, direct nucleotide sequencing, or both methods. RESUL...

AN adult onset novel disorder of peroxisomal function is described, characterised by retinitis pigmentosa resulting in progressive visual failure, learning difficulties, a peripheral neuropathy, and hypogonadism. The defect results in accumulation of pristanic acid, and the bile acid intermediates, dihydroxycholestanoic and trihydroxycholestanoic acid, and is due to a deficiency of alpha-methyl...

In a patient with juvenile nephronophthisis, sector retinitis pigmentosa was found as an extrarenal manifestation, establishing a hitherto undescribed variety of retinal degeneration occurring in this disorder. The retinal function in this case was identical with that in the classic type of sector retinitis pigmentosa, namely, subnormal ERG amplitudes but normal cone and rod implicit times. The...

BACKGROUND Senior-Loken syndrome is a rare disease that combines familial juvenile nephronophthisis with retinitis pigmentosa. We describe the clinical features of a Japanese patient with Senior-Loken syndrome emphasizing the importance of the ophthalmic findings in determining a correct diagnosis. CASE A 6-year-old Japanese girl had anemia, mental retardation, and poor vision. OBSERVATIONS...