Elana J. Forbes, Lottie D. Morison, Fatma Lelik, Tegan Howell, Simone Debono, Himanshu Goel, Pauline Burger, Jean-Louis Mandel, David Geneviève, David J. Amor, Angela T. Morgan
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Pathogenic variants in DDX3X are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Communication impairments are commonly reported, yet specific speech and language diagnoses have not been delineated, preventing prognostic counseling and targeted therapies. Here, we characterized speech and language in 38 female individuals, aged 1.69–24.34 years, with pathogenic and likely pathogenic DDX3X variants (missense, n = 13; nonsense, n = 12; frameshift, n = 7; splice site, n = 3; synonymous, n = 2; deletion, n = 1). Standardized speech, language, motor, social, and adaptive behavior assessments were administered. All participants had gross motor deficits in infancy (34/34), and fine motor deficits were common throughout childhood (94%; 32/34). Intellectual disability was reported in 86% (24/28) of participants over 4 years of age. Expressive, receptive, and social communication skills were, on average, severely impaired. However, receptive language was significantly stronger than expressive language ability. Over half of the assessed participants were minimally verbal (66%; 22/33; range = 2 years 2 months–24 years 4 months; mean = 8 years; SD = 6 years) and augmented speech with sign language, gestures, or digital devices. A quarter of the cohort had childhood apraxia of speech (25%; 9/36). Despite speech and language impairments, social motivation was a relevant strength. Many participants used augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), underscoring the need for early, tailored, and comprehensive AAC intervention.
期刊介绍:
Neuropsychiatric Genetics, Part B of the American Journal of Medical Genetics (AJMG) , provides a forum for experimental and clinical investigations of the genetic mechanisms underlying neurologic and psychiatric disorders. It is a resource for novel genetics studies of the heritable nature of psychiatric and other nervous system disorders, characterized at the molecular, cellular or behavior levels. Neuropsychiatric Genetics publishes eight times per year.