Hereditary Nonprogressive Chorea of Early Onset

Abstract

THIS report describes the clinical, laboratory and genetic investigations of a large Negro family, many of whose members exhibit choreiform movements of early onset and nonprogressive nature. As far as is known, this hereditary syndrome in the absence of other neurologic or psychiatric manifestations represents a unique and previously unreported entity.Clinical ObservationsIn late 1964, 2 teen-age brothers from southern Mississippi were referred for evaluation and treatment of "nervousness." Both exhibited involuntary jerking movements, best described as choreiform. It was learned that several other members of the family had identical involuntary motor activity. For this reason, as many of . . .