National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

MED23



Other Names:
Intellectual disability, autosomal recessive 18; Autosomal recessive nonsyndromic mental retardation-18

MED23 is a gene that plays a role in brain development. Mutations in MED23 cause difficulty swallowing, screaming spells, reflux, and gastrointestinal problems in infants. Children with MED23 gene mutations have profound learning and developmental delays impairing muscle control, mobility, communication, and speech.  MED23 gene mutations do not cause changes in growth or physical appearance. MED23 is inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion.
Last updated: 9/16/2014

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

Showing of 2 |
Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Autosomal recessive inheritance 0000007
Intellectual disability
Mental deficiency
Mental retardation
Mental retardation, nonspecific
Mental-retardation
[ more ]
0001249
Showing of 2 |
Last updated: 7/1/2020

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Social Networking Websites


Living with a genetic or rare disease can impact the daily lives of patients and families. These resources can help families navigate various aspects of living with a rare disease.

Parent and Caregiver Resources

  • In this NCATS Video Profile, Jillian Clegg shares the story of her two sons with MED23 gene defect.

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

In-Depth Information

  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 

Selected Full-Text Journal Articles


Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.


  1. MED23 Gene Defect. Children's Neurobiological Solutions Foundation. http://cnsfoundation.org/educate/disorder/med23-gene-defect. Accessed 9/16/2014.