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

OPHN1 syndrome


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Other Names:
Oligophrenin-1 syndrome; OPHN1- related XLID; OPHN1 XLMR, X-linked intellectual disability; Oligophrenin-1 syndrome; OPHN1- related XLID; OPHN1 XLMR, X-linked intellectual disability; OPHN1 XLMR; OPHN1 Deficiency; X-linked intellectual disability-cerebellar hypoplasia syndrome; Intellectual disability, X-linked, with cerebellar hypoplasia and distinctive facial appearance; X-linked Intellectual Deficit with Cerebellar Hypoplasia See More
Categories:

OPHN1 syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by intellectual disability and changes in the part of the brain which controls movement and balance (cerebellum). The syndrome mainly affects males. Signs and symptoms may include intellectual disability, low muscle tone (hypotonia), developmental and cognitive delay, early-onset seizures, abnormal behavior, small or underdeveloped genitals, characteristic facial features (long face, bulging forehead, under eye creases, deep set eyes, and large ears), crossed eyes (strabismus) and inability to coordinate movements.[1][2]  A small cerebellum and large brain ventricles can be seen on brain imaging (MRI).[1][3][4] Treatment is supportive and includes physical, occupational and speech and language therapy.[5]

OPHN1 syndrome is caused by mutations in the OPHN1 gene, which is located on the  X chromosome. Inheritance is X-linked.[1] Some females who carry a mutation in the OPHN1 gene may have mild learning disabilities, mild cognitive impairment, strabismus, and subtle facial changes.[1][3][4]

Last updated: 3/19/2018

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 39 |
Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Cerebellar hypoplasia
Small cerebellum
Underdeveloped cerebellum
[ more ]
0001321
Disorganization of the anterior cerebellar vermis 0007065
Dysmetria
Lack of coordination of movement
0001310
Global developmental delay 0001263
Intellectual disability
Mental deficiency
Mental retardation
Mental retardation, nonspecific
Mental-retardation
[ more ]
0001249
Retrocerebellar cyst 0006951
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Attention deficit
Attention deficit disorder
Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder
Attention deficits
Childhood attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
[ more ]
0007018
Autism 0000717
Muscular hypotonia
Low or weak muscle tone
0001252
Neurological speech impairment
Speech disorder
Speech impairment
Speech impediment
[ more ]
0002167
Seizure 0001250
Strabismus
Cross-eyed
Squint
Squint eyes
[ more ]
0000486
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Abnormality of the philtrum 0000288
Cerebral cortical atrophy
Decrease in size of the outer layer of the brain due to loss of brain cells
0002120
Cryptorchidism
Undescended testes
Undescended testis
[ more ]
0000028
Deeply set eye
Deep set eye
Deep-set eyes
Sunken eye
[ more ]
0000490
Frontal bossing 0002007
Long face
Elongation of face
Increased height of face
Increased length of face
Vertical elongation of face
Vertical enlargement of face
Vertical overgrowth of face
[ more ]
0000276
Macrotia
Large ears
0000400
Prominent forehead
Pronounced forehead
Protruding forehead
[ more ]
0011220
Ventriculomegaly 0002119
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Delayed speech and language development
Deficiency of speech development
Delayed language development
Delayed speech
Delayed speech acquisition
Delayed speech development
Impaired speech and language development
Impaired speech development
Language delay
Language delayed
Language development deficit
Late-onset speech development
Poor language development
Speech and language delay
Speech and language difficulties
Speech delay
[ more ]
0000750
Enlarged cisterna magna 0002280
Gait ataxia
Inability to coordinate movements when walking
0002066
Generalized hypotonia
Decreased muscle tone
Low muscle tone
[ more ]
0001290
Hyperactivity
More active than typical
0000752
Hypotelorism
Abnormally close eyes
Closely spaced eyes
[ more ]
0000601
Infantile onset
Onset in first year of life
Onset in infancy
[ more ]
0003593
Long nose
Elongated nose
Increased height of nose
Increased length of nose
Increased nasal height
Increased nasal length
Nasal elongation
[ more ]
0003189
Macrocephaly
Increased size of skull
Large head
Large head circumference
[ more ]
0000256
Mandibular prognathia
Big lower jaw
Increased projection of lower jaw
Increased size of lower jaw
Large lower jaw
Prominent chin
Prominent lower jaw
[ more ]
0000303
Micropenis
Short penis
Small penis
[ more ]
0000054
Microphallus 0030260
Nystagmus
Involuntary, rapid, rhythmic eye movements
0000639
Prominent supraorbital ridges
Prominent brow
0000336
Scrotal hypoplasia
Smaller than typical growth of scrotum
0000046
Short philtrum 0000322
Spasticity
Involuntary muscle stiffness, contraction, or spasm
0001257
X-linked recessive inheritance 0001419
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources


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.

Organizations Supporting this Disease


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. 
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.

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. Zanni G & Bertini ES. X-linked disorders with cerebellar dysgenesis. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases. 2011; 6:24. https://ojrd.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1750-1172-6-24.
  2. OPHN1. Genetics Home Reference. 2016; https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/OPHN1#conditions.
  3. Ginevra Zanni. X-linked intellectual disability-cerebellar hypoplasia syndrome. Orphanet. February 2013; http://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/OC_Exp.php?lng=en&Expert=137831.
  4. Bedeschi MF & cols. Association of syndromic mental retardation with an Xq12q13.1 duplication encompassing the oligophrenin 1 gene. Am J Med Genet A. July, 2008; 146A(13):1718-24. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18512229.
  5. OPHN1 therapies. Oligophrenin-1 Syndrome Foundation. http://ophn1.org/ophn1-therapies.