Hallervorden-Spatz disease

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Hallervorden-Spatz disease

Symptoms:

Symptoms typically begin in childhood and are progressive, often resulting in death by early adulthood. These include:

dystonia
rigidity/stiffness of limbs
tremor
writhing movements
dementia
spasticity
weakness
seizures
vision changes and degeneration of eyesight

Signs and tests:

A neurological examination would show evidence of muscle rigidity; weakness; and abnormal postures, movements, and tremors. If other family members are also affected, this may help determine the diagnosis.

Genetic tests can confirm an abnormal gene causing the disease. However, this test is not yet widely available. Other movement disorders and diseases must be ruled out. An MRI usually shows iron deposits in the basal ganglia.

Review Date: 8/12/2004
Reviewed By: Joseph V. Campellone, M.D., Division of Neurology, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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