THOC6 Intellectual Disability Syndrome

Clinical characteristics: THOC6 intellectual disability syndrome is associated with moderate-to-severe developmental delay or intellectual disability; nonspecific dysmorphic facial features (tall forehead, deep-set eyes, short and upslanted palpebral fissures, epicanthal folds, and long nose with low-hanging columella); microcephaly (typically 2-3 SD below the mean); teeth anomalies (dental caries, malocclusion, and supernumerary teeth); cardiac anomalies (most typically atrial and/or ventricular septal defects); prenatal ventriculomegaly and hydrocephalus; cryptorchidism in males; and renal malformations (most commonly unilateral renal agenesis). More rarely, affected individuals may have hypergonadotropic hypogonadism (in females), seizures, poor growth, feeding difficulties, hearing loss, refractive errors and/or other eye abnormalities, vertebral anomalies, micro/retrognathia, and imperforate / anteriorly placed anus.

Diagnosis/testing: The diagnosis of THOC6 intellectual disability syndrome is established in a proband with biallelic pathogenic variants inTHOC6 identified by molecular genetic testing. For individuals from the Hutterite population suspected of having THOC6 intellectual disability syndrome, molecular genetic testing for the specific c.136G>A (p.Gly46Arg) founder variant can be considered.

Management: Treatment of manifestations: For those with poor weight gain, feeding therapy and consideration of a gastrostomy tube; for those with hearing loss, hearing aids may be considered; standard treatment for seizures, vision issues, dental caries/malocclusion, cardiac malformations, genital anomalies, hypergonadotropic hypogonadism, renal malformations, skeletal anomalies, and developmental delay / intellectual disability. Surveillance: At each visit: monitor developmental progress, mobility, self-help skills, and behavior; assess for signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus or for new neurologic manifestations; measurement of growth parameters and evaluation of nutritional status; assessment of vision and eye alignment; assessment for dental caries and malocclusion. Evaluate renal function (BUN, creatinine, and urinalysis) at each visit or annually for those with anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract; annual audiology evaluation; evaluation of secondary sexual characteristics and menstrual cycles at each visit in females older than age 12 years.

Genetic counseling: THOC6 intellectual disability syndrome is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. At conception, each sib of an affected individual has a 25% chance of being affected, a 50% chance of being unaffected and a carrier, and a 25% chance of being unaffected and not a carrier. Carrier testing for at-risk relatives and prenatal testing for pregnancies at increased risk are possible if the pathogenic variants have been identified in an affected family member.