Genetic, Clinical, and Radiographic Delineation of Hallervorden–Spatz Syndrome

Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by dystonia, parkinsonism, and iron accumulation in the brain. Many patients with this disease have mutations in the gene encoding pantothenate kinase 2 (PANK2); these patients are said to have pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration. In this study, we compared the clinical and radiographic features of patients with Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome with and without mutations in PANK2.

One hundred twenty-three patients from 98 families with a diagnosis of Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome were classified on the basis of clinical assessment as having classic disease (characterized by early onset with rapid progression) or atypical disease (later onset with slow progression). Their genomic DNA was sequenced for PANK2 mutations.