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

Spastic paraplegia 5A



Other Names:
SPG5A; Autosomal recessive spastic paraplegia; Spastic paraplegia type 5A
Categories:

The following summary is from Orphanet, a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs.
orphanet

Orpha Number: 100986

Definition
Autosomal recessive spastic paraplegia type 5A is a form of hereditary spastic paraplegia characterized by either a pure phenotype of slowly progressive spastic paraplegia of the lower extremities with bladder dysfunction and pes cavus or a complex presentation with additional manifestations including cerebellar signs, nystagmus, distal or generalized muscle atrophy and cognitive impairment. Age of onset is highly variable, ranging from early childhood to adulthood. White matter hyperintensity and cerebellar and spinal cord atrophy may be noted, on brain magnetic resonance imaging, in some patients.

Visit the Orphanet disease page for more resources.
Last updated: 8/1/2017

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
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Babinski sign 0003487
Impaired vibratory sensation
Decreased vibration sense
Decreased vibratory sense
Diminished vibratory sense
Impaired vibratory sense
[ more ]
0002495
Lower limb muscle weakness
Lower extremity weakness
Lower limb weakness
Muscle weakness in lower limbs
[ more ]
0007340
Spastic paraplegia 0001258
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Abnormal cerebellum morphology
Abnormality of the cerebellum
Cerebellar abnormalities
Cerebellar abnormality
Cerebellar anomaly
[ more ]
0001317
Abnormality of the cerebral white matter 0002500
Abnormality of the urinary system
Urinary tract abnormalities
Urinary tract abnormality
Urinary tract anomalies
[ more ]
0000079
Ankle clonus
Abnormal rhythmic movements of ankle
0011448
Lower limb amyotrophy 0007210
Pes cavus
High-arched foot
0001761
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Atrophy of the spinal cord
Degeneration of the spinal cord
0006827
Cataract
Clouding of the lens of the eye
Cloudy lens
[ more ]
0000518
Cognitive impairment
Abnormality of cognition
Cognitive abnormality
Cognitive defects
Cognitive deficits
Intellectual impairment
Mental impairment
[ more ]
0100543
Limb ataxia 0002070
Limb dysmetria 0002406
Nystagmus
Involuntary, rapid, rhythmic eye movements
0000639
Sensorineural hearing impairment 0000407
Truncal ataxia
Instability or lack of coordination of central trunk muscles
0002078
1%-4% of people have these symptoms
Dysarthria
Difficulty articulating speech
0001260
Dysphagia
Poor swallowing
Swallowing difficulties
Swallowing difficulty
[ more ]
0002015
Hyperintensity of cerebral white matter on MRI 0030890
Polyneuropathy
Peripheral nerve disease
0001271
Scoliosis 0002650
Upper limb amyotrophy 0009129
Upper limb muscle weakness
Decreased arm strength
Weak arm
[ more ]
0003484
Upper limb spasticity
Uncontrollable movement in upper arms
0006986
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Autosomal recessive inheritance 0000007
Hyperreflexia
Increased reflexes
0001347
Impaired distal proprioception 0006858
Impaired vibration sensation in the lower limbs
Decreased lower limb vibratory sense
Decreased vibratory sense in lower limbs
Decreased vibratory sense in the lower extremities
Decreased vibratory sense in the lower limbs
Diminished vibratory sensation in the legs
[ more ]
0002166
Lower limb spasticity 0002061
Optic atrophy 0000648
Paraplegia
Leg paralysis
0010550
Progressive
Worsens with time
0003676
Spastic gait
Spastic walk
0002064
Urinary incontinence
Loss of bladder control
0000020
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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


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

Social Networking Websites

  • RareConnect is an online social network for patients and families to connect with one another and share their experience living with a rare disease. The project is a joint collaboration between EURORDIS (European Rare Disease Organisation) and NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders). Click on the link above to view the community for Hereditary spastic paraplegia.

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

  • 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 Spastic paraplegia 5A. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

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