Ataxia
Gene: SLC4A4
Four individuals from 3 families reported with progressive macrocephaly, episodes of raised intracranial pressure, cognitive and motor impairment, and epilepsy. MRI showed brain oedema, involving cortex before white matter. Three individuals had infantile-onset disease. Macrocephaly began in the second half of the first year, crossed +2 SD by the end of the first year, and rose to greater than +5 SD by early childhood. All 3 had cerebellar ataxia, autistic features, absent language, and seizures. The adult-onset patient (patient 4) was healthy until age 44 years, when she developed persistent headaches, mood fluctuations, and gait difficulties after minor head trauma, with further decline after a second head injury. All individuals had the I805T variant in SLC4A4, which was shown to result in a constitutive depolarizing leak that disrupted astrocyte pH regulation and promoted astrocyte swelling. None had a renal phenotype.Created: 24 Sep 2026, 8:19 p.m. | Last Modified: 24 Sep 2026, 8:21 p.m.
Panel Version: 2.167
Mode of inheritance
MONOALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal, NOT imprinted
Disease associations
Progressive macrocephaly-brain edema disorder, MIM# 621716
Publications
Gene: slc4a4 has been classified as Green List (High Evidence).
Phenotypes for gene: SLC4A4 were changed from Renal tubular acidosis, proximal, with ocular abnormalities MIM#604278; Progressive macrocephaly-brain edema disorder, MIM# 621716 to Progressive macrocephaly-brain edema disorder, MIM# 621716
Publications for gene: SLC4A4 were set to 29914390; 11274232; 15930088; 41841191
Mode of inheritance for gene: SLC4A4 was changed from BOTH monoallelic and biallelic, autosomal or pseudoautosomal to MONOALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal, NOT imprinted
gene: SLC4A4 was added gene: SLC4A4 was added to Ataxia. Sources: Expert Review Green,Genetic Health Queensland Mode of inheritance for gene: SLC4A4 was set to BOTH monoallelic and biallelic, autosomal or pseudoautosomal Publications for gene: SLC4A4 were set to 29914390; 11274232; 15930088; 41841191 Phenotypes for gene: SLC4A4 were set to Renal tubular acidosis, proximal, with ocular abnormalities MIM#604278; Progressive macrocephaly-brain edema disorder, MIM# 621716