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

Benign hereditary chorea


Other Names:
Chorea familial benign
Categories:
Benign hereditary chorea (BHC) is a rare movement disorder that begins in infancy or childhood. Signs and symptoms in infants may include low muscle tone, involuntary movements (chorea), lung infections, and respiratory distress. Signs and symptoms in children may include delayed motor and walking milestones, jerky muscle movements (myoclonus), upper limb dystonia, motor tics, and vocal tics.[1] The chorea often improves with time. In some cases, myoclonus persists or worsens. Children with BHC can have normal intellect, but may have learning and behavior problems. Other signs and symptoms include thyroid problems (e.g., hypothyroidism) and lung disease (e.g., recurring infections).[1] Treatment is tailored to each child. Tetrabenazine and levodopa have been tried in individual cases with some success.[1] BHC is caused by mutations in the NKX2-1 gene (also known as the TITF1 gene). It is passed through families in an autosomal dominant fashion.[1]
Last updated: 8/7/2014

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.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Gait disturbance
Abnormal gait
Abnormal walk
Impaired gait
[ more ] 		0001288
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Dysarthria
Difficulty articulating speech
0001260
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Anxiety
Excessive, persistent worry and fear
0000739
Autosomal dominant inheritance 0000006
Chorea 0002072
Juvenile onset
Signs and symptoms begin before 15 years of age
0003621
Motor delay 0001270
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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.

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

  • GeneReviews provides current, expert-authored, peer-reviewed, full-text articles describing the application of genetic testing to the diagnosis, management, and genetic counseling of patients with specific inherited conditions.
  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • 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 Benign hereditary chorea. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

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  1. Jankovic J. Hyperkinetic movement disorders in children. In: Basow M. UpToDate. Waltham, MA: UpToDate; 2014;