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

Lissencephaly 2



Other Names:
LIS2; Norman Roberts lissencephaly syndrome; Lissencephaly syndrome Norman-Roberts type
Categories:
This disease is grouped under:

Lissencephaly 2 is an inherited condition characterized by classical lissencephaly in association with certain abnormalities of the skull and facial (craniofacial) region, such as a low, sloping forehead; abnormal prominence of the back portion of the head (occiput); a broad, prominent nasal bridge; and widely set eyes (ocular hypertelorism). Additional symptoms and findings typically include severe or profound intellectual disability, seizures, abnormally increased muscle tone (hypertonia), exaggerated reflexes (hyperreflexia), and severe growth failure. This condition is inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion.[1] Mutations in the RELN gene have been identified in some affected individuals.[2]
Last updated: 1/24/2012

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.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
1%-4% of people have these symptoms
Global developmental delay 0001263
Muscular hypotonia
Low or weak muscle tone
0001252
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
4-layered lissencephaly 0006818
Autosomal recessive inheritance 0000007
Cerebellar hypoplasia
Small cerebellum
Underdeveloped cerebellum
[ more ]
0001321
Generalized-onset seizure 0002197
Hypoplasia of the pons 0012110
Lymphedema
Swelling caused by excess lymph fluid under skin
0001004
Microcephaly
Abnormally small skull
Decreased circumference of cranium
Decreased size of skull
Reduced head circumference
Small head circumference
[ more ]
0000252
Prominent nasal bridge
Elevated nasal bridge
High nasal bridge
Prominent bridge of nose
Prominent nasal root
Protruding bridge of nose
Protruding nasal bridge
[ more ]
0000426
Sloping forehead
Inclined forehead
Receding forehead
[ more ]
0000340
Thick cerebral cortex 0006891
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

Making a diagnosis for a genetic or rare disease can often be challenging. Healthcare professionals typically look at a person’s medical history, symptoms, physical exam, and laboratory test results in order to make a diagnosis. The following resources provide information relating to diagnosis and testing for this condition. If you have questions about getting a diagnosis, you should contact a healthcare professional.

Testing Resources

  • The Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) provides information about the genetic tests for this condition. The intended audience for the GTR is health care providers and researchers. Patients and consumers with specific questions about a genetic test should contact a health care provider or a genetics professional.

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


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.

Where to Start

  • Genetics Home Reference contains information on Lissencephaly 2. This website is maintained by the National Library of Medicine.
  • The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has a report for patients and families about this condition. NORD is a patient advocacy organization for individuals with rare diseases and the organizations that serve them.

In-Depth Information

  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • 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.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Lissencephaly 2. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

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. Gleeson JG. Lissencephaly. National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). 2009; http://www.rarediseases.org/rare-disease-information/rare-diseases/byID/454/viewAbstract. Accessed 1/24/2012.
  2. Lissencephaly syndrome, Norman-Roberts type. Orphanet. March 2008; http://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/OC_Exp.php?lng=EN&Expert=89844. Accessed 1/24/2012.