Cockayne syndrome
Last updated 22 Aug 2023
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Cockayne syndrome is a rare disorder characterised by an abnormally small head size (microcephaly), a failure to gain weight and grow at the expected rate (failure to thrive) leading to very short stature, and delayed development. The signs and symptoms of this condition are usually apparent from infancy, and they worsen over time. Most affected individuals have an increased sensitivity to sunlight (photosensitivity), and in some cases even a small amount of sun exposure can cause a sunburn or blistering of the skin. Other signs and symptoms often include hearing loss, vision loss, severe tooth decay, bone abnormalities, hands and feet that are cold all the time, and changes in the brain that can be seen on brain scans.
Description
Cockayne syndrome is a rare disorder characterised by an abnormally small head size (microcephaly), a failure to gain weight and grow at the expected rate (failure to thrive) leading to very short stature, and delayed development. The signs and symptoms of this condition are usually apparent from infancy, and they worsen over time. Most affected individuals have an increased sensitivity to sunlight (photosensitivity), and in some cases even a small amount of sun exposure can cause a sunburn or blistering of the skin. Other signs and symptoms often include hearing loss, vision loss, severe tooth decay, bone abnormalities, hands and feet that are cold all the time, and changes in the brain that can be seen on brain scans.
People with Cockayne syndrome have a serious reaction to an antibiotic medication called metronidazole. If affected individuals take this medication, it can cause life-threatening liver failure.
Cockayne syndrome is sometimes divided into types I, II, and III based on the severity and age of onset of symptoms. However, the differences between the types are not always clear-cut, and some researchers believe the signs and symptoms reflect a spectrum instead of distinct types. Cockayne syndrome type II is also known as cerebro-oculo-facio-skeletal (COFS) syndrome, and while some researchers consider it to be a separate but similar condition, others classify it as part of the Cockayne syndrome disease spectrum.
Inheritance patterns
The source lists the following possible inheritance patterns: Autosomal recessive. More than one pattern can apply in different cases.
Related genes
Other names
CS
Dwarfism-retinal atrophy-deafness syndrome
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Further reading and references
- Cockayne syndrome; MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
- Cleaver JE, Lam ET, Revet I. Disorders of nucleotide excision repair: the genetic and molecular basis of heterogeneity. Nat Rev Genet. 2009 Nov;10(11):756-68. doi: 10.1038/nrg2663. Epub 2009 Oct 7.
- Laugel V. Cockayne Syndrome. 2000 Dec 28 [updated 2024 Aug 29]. In: Adam MP, Bick S, Mirzaa GM, Wallace SE, Amemiya A, editors. GeneReviews(R) [Internet]. Seattle (WA): University of Washington, Seattle; 1993-2026. Available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1342/
- Laugel V. Cockayne syndrome: the expanding clinical and mutational spectrum. Mech Ageing Dev. 2013 May-Jun;134(5-6):161-70. doi: 10.1016/j.mad.2013.02.006. Epub 2013 Feb 18.
- Nance MA, Berry SA. Cockayne syndrome: review of 140 cases. Am J Med Genet. 1992 Jan 1;42(1):68-84. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.1320420115.
- Weidenheim KM, Dickson DW, Rapin I. Neuropathology of Cockayne syndrome: Evidence for impaired development, premature aging, and neurodegeneration. Mech Ageing Dev. 2009 Sep;130(9):619-36. doi: 10.1016/j.mad.2009.07.006. Epub 2009 Jul 30.
- Wilson BT, Stark Z, Sutton RE, Danda S, Ekbote AV, Elsayed SM, Gibson L, Goodship JA, Jackson AP, Keng WT, King MD, McCann E, Motojima T, Murray JE, Omata T, Pilz D, Pope K, Sugita K, White SM, Wilson IJ. The Cockayne Syndrome Natural History (CoSyNH) study: clinical findings in 102 individuals and recommendations for care. Genet Med. 2016 May;18(5):483-93. doi: 10.1038/gim.2015.110. Epub 2015 Jul 23.
- Wilson BT, Strong A, O'Kelly S, Munkley J, Stark Z. Metronidazole Toxicity in Cockayne Syndrome: A Case Series. Pediatrics. 2015 Sep;136(3):e706-8. doi: 10.1542/peds.2015-0531.
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