407 Inherited Neuropathies Vera Fridman, MD1 M. M. Reilly, MD, FRCP, FRCPI2 1 Department of Neurology, Neuromuscular Diagnostic Center, Address for correspondence Vera Fridman, MD, Neuromuscular Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts Diagnostic Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, 2 MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology Massachusetts, 165 Cambridge St. Boston, MA 02114 and The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen (e-mail:
[email protected]). Square, London, United Kingdom Semin Neurol 2015;35:407–423. Abstract Hereditary neuropathies (HNs) are among the most common inherited neurologic Keywords disorders and are diverse both clinically and genetically. Recent genetic advances have ► hereditary contributed to a rapid expansion of identifiable causes of HN and have broadened the neuropathy phenotypic spectrum associated with many of the causative mutations. The underlying ► Charcot-Marie-Tooth molecular pathways of disease have also been better delineated, leading to the promise disease for potential treatments. This chapter reviews the clinical and biological aspects of the ► hereditary sensory common causes of HN and addresses the challenges of approaching the diagnostic and motor workup of these conditions in a rapidly evolving genetic landscape. neuropathy ► hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy Hereditary neuropathies (HN) are among the most common Select forms of HN also involve cranial nerves and respiratory inherited neurologic diseases, with a prevalence of 1 in 2,500 function. Nevertheless, in the majority of patients with HN individuals.1,2 They encompass a clinically heterogeneous set there is no shortening of life expectancy. of disorders and vary greatly in severity, spanning a spectrum Historically, hereditary neuropathies have been classified from mildly symptomatic forms to those resulting in severe based on the primary site of nerve pathology (myelin vs.