A SPG3A mutation with a novel foot phenotype of hereditary spastic paraplegia in a Chinese Han family

Hereditary spastic paraplegia （HSP） （MIM#182600） is a group of heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorders, with 35 underlying loci recognized by the HGNC （HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee; http：//www.gene.ucl.ac.uk/nomenclature/） and 10 identified genes （ http ： //www. gene. ucl. ac. uk/cgi-bin/nomenc lature/ searchgenes.pl plus NIPA1, last search July 2006）. The mode of inheritance may be autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive or X-linked. Among these, autosomal dominant spastic paraplegia （AD-HSP） is the most common type, accounting for 70%-80% of all families. The disease is characterized by lower limb spasticity, hyperreflexia, progressive spastic gait and an extensor plantar response. Pes cavus is one of the commonly reported foot phenotypes.