Reviewed March 2009
What is Menkes syndrome?
Menkes syndrome is a disorder that affects copper levels in the body. It is characterized by sparse, kinky hair; failure to gain weight and grow at the expected rate (failure to thrive); and deterioration of the nervous system. Additional signs and symptoms include weak muscle tone (hypotonia), sagging facial features, seizures, developmental delay, and intellectual disability. Children with Menkes syndrome typically begin to develop symptoms during infancy and often do not live past age 3. Early treatment with copper may improve the prognosis in some affected individuals. In rare cases, symptoms begin later in childhood.
Occipital horn syndrome (sometimes called X-linked cutis laxa) is a less severe form of Menkes syndrome that begins in early to middle childhood. It is characterized by wedge-shaped calcium deposits in a bone at the base of the skull (the occipital bone), coarse hair, and loose skin and joints.
How common is Menkes syndrome?
The incidence of Menkes syndrome and occipital horn syndrome is estimated to be 1 in 100,000 newborns.
What genes are related to Menkes syndrome?
Mutations in the ATP7A gene cause Menkes syndrome. The ATP7A gene provides instructions for making a protein that is important for regulating copper levels in the body. Copper is necessary for many cellular functions, but it is toxic when present in excessive amounts. Mutations in the ATP7A gene result in poor distribution of copper to the body's cells. Copper accumulates in some tissues, such as the small intestine and kidneys, while the brain and other tissues have unusually low levels of copper. The decreased supply of copper can reduce the activity of numerous copper-containing enzymes that are necessary for the structure and function of bone, skin, hair, blood vessels, and the nervous system. The signs and symptoms of Menkes syndrome and occipital horn syndrome are caused by the reduced activity of these copper-containing enzymes.
Read more about the ATP7A gene.
How do people inherit Menkes syndrome?
Menkes syndrome is inherited in an X-linked recessive pattern. The gene associated with this condition is located on the X chromosome, which is one of the two sex chromosomes. In males (who have only one X chromosome), one altered copy of the gene in each cell is sufficient to cause the condition. In females (who have two X chromosomes), a mutation would have to occur in both copies of the gene to cause the disorder. Because it is unlikely that females will have two altered copies of this gene, males are affected by X-linked recessive disorders much more frequently than females. A striking characteristic of X-linked inheritance is that fathers cannot pass X-linked traits to their sons.
In about one-third of cases, Menkes syndrome is caused by new mutations in the ATP7A gene. People with a new mutation do not have a history of the disorder in their family.
Where can I find information about treatment for Menkes syndrome?
These resources address the management of Menkes syndrome and may include treatment providers.
- GeneReviews
- MedlinePlus Encyclopedia: Copper in diet
- MedlinePlus Encyclopedia: Menkes syndrome
You might also find information on treatment of Menkes syndrome in Educational resources and Patient support.
Where can I find additional information about Menkes syndrome?
You may find the following resources about Menkes syndrome helpful. These materials are written for the general public.
- MedlinePlus - Health information (3 links)
- Additional NIH Resources - National Institutes of Health (4 links)
- Educational resources - Information pages (3 links)
- Patient support - For patients and families (4 links)
You may also be interested in these resources, which are designed for healthcare professionals and researchers.
What other names do people use for Menkes syndrome?
- Copper transport disease
- Hypocupremia, Congenital
- Kinky Hair Syndrome
- Menkea syndrome
- Menkes Disease
- MK
- MNK
- Steely Hair Syndrome
- X-linked copper deficiency
See How are genetic conditions and genes named? in the Handbook.
What if I still have specific questions about Menkes syndrome?
- See How can I find a genetics professional in my area? in the Handbook.
- Ask the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.
- Submit your question to Ask the Geneticist.
Where can I find general information about genetic conditions?
The Handbook provides basic information about genetics in clear language.
- What does it mean if a disorder seems to run in my family?
- What are the different ways in which a genetic condition can be inherited?
- If a genetic disorder runs in my family, what are the chances that my children will have the condition?
- Why are some genetic conditions more common in particular ethnic groups?
These links provide additional genetics resources that may be useful.
What glossary definitions help with understanding Menkes syndrome?
calcium ; cell ; chromosome ; congenital ; deficiency ; developmental delay ; enzyme ; failure to thrive ; gene ; hypotonia ; incidence ; inheritance ; intestine ; joint ; kidney ; muscle tone ; mutation ; nervous system ; new mutation ; prognosis ; protein ; recessive ; seizure ; sex chromosomes ; sign ; symptom ; syndrome ; tissue ; toxic ; trait ; X-linked recessive
You may find definitions for these and many other terms in the Genetics Home Reference Glossary.
References (13 links)
The resources on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Users seeking information about a personal genetic disease, syndrome, or condition should consult with a qualified healthcare professional. See How can I find a genetics professional in my area? in the Handbook.
الأربعاء أبريل 01, 2009 2:34 am
