Question: What is (are) Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency ?
Answer: Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) deficiency is disorder that can cause a variety of neurological and neuromuscular problems. The signs and symptoms can be extremely variable among affected individuals and may include mild to severe intellectual disability; developmental delay (especially involving speech); hypotonia; difficulty coordinating movements (ataxia); and/or seizures. Some affected individuals may also have decreased reflexes (hyporeflexia); nystagmus; hyperactivity; and/or behavioral problems. SSADH deficiency is caused by mutations in the ALDH5A1 gene and is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. Management is generally symptomatic and typically focuses on treating seizures and neurobehavioral issues.
Source: GARD

Question: What are the symptoms of Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency ?
Answer: What are the signs and symptoms of Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency? People with succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency (SSADH) typically have developmental delay, especially involving speech development; intellectual disability; and decreased muscle tone (hypotonia) soon after birth. About half of those affected experience seizures, difficulty coordinating movements (ataxia), decreased reflexes, and behavioral problems. The most common behavioral problems associated with this condition are sleep disturbances, hyperactivity, difficulty maintaining attention, and anxiety. Less frequently, affected individuals may have increased aggression, hallucinations, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and self-injurious behavior, including biting and head banging. People with this condition can also have problems controlling eye movements. Less common features of SSADH include uncontrollable movements of the limbs (choreoathetosis), involuntary tensing of the muscles (dystonia), muscle twitches (myoclonus), and a progressive worsening of ataxia. The Human Phenotype Ontology provides the following list of signs and symptoms for Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency. If the information is available, the table below includes how often the symptom is seen in people with this condition. You can use the MedlinePlus Medical Dictionary to look up the definitions for these medical terms. Signs and Symptoms Approximate number of patients (when available) Cognitive impairment 90% Incoordination 90% Muscular hypotonia 90% Seizures 50% Abnormality of eye movement - Abnormality of metabolism/homeostasis - Absence seizures - Aggressive behavior - Anxiety - Ataxia - Autism - Autosomal recessive inheritance - Delayed speech and language development - EEG abnormality - Generalized myoclonic seizures - Generalized tonic-clonic seizures - Hallucinations - Hyperactivity - Hyperkinesis - Hyporeflexia - Infantile onset - Intellectual disability - Motor delay - Phenotypic variability - Psychosis - Self-injurious behavior - Status epilepticus - The Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) has collected information on how often a sign or symptom occurs in a condition. Much of this information comes from Orphanet, a European rare disease database. The frequency of a sign or symptom is usually listed as a rough estimate of the percentage of patients who have that feature. The frequency may also be listed as a fraction. The first number of the fraction is how many people had the symptom, and the second number is the total number of people who were examined in one study. For example, a frequency of 25/25 means that in a study of 25 people all patients were found to have that symptom. Because these frequencies are based on a specific study, the fractions may be different if another group of patients are examined. Sometimes, no information on frequency is available. In these cases, the sign or symptom may be rare or common.
Source: GARD

Question: Is Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency inherited ?
Answer: How is succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency inherited? Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency (SSADH) is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, which means both copies of the gene in each cell have mutations. The parents of an individual with an autosomal recessive condition each carry one copy of the mutated gene, but they typically do not show signs and symptoms of the condition.
Source: GARD

Question: How to diagnose Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency ?
Answer: How is succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency diagnosed? The diagnosis of succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) deficiency is based upon a thorough clinical exam, the identification of features consistent with the condition, and a variety of specialized tests. SSADH deficiency may first be suspected in late infancy or early childhood in individuals who have encephalopathy, a state in which brain function or structure is altered. The encephalopathy may be characterized by cognitive impairment; language deficit; poor muscle tone (hypotonia); seizures; decreased reflexes (hyporeflexia); and/or difficulty coordinating movements (ataxia). The diagnosis may be further suspected if urine organic acid analysis (a test that provides information about the substances the body discards through the urine) shows the presence of 4-hydroxybutyric acid. The diagnosis can be confirmed by an enzyme test showing deficiency of SSADH, or by genetic testing. ALDH5A1 is the only gene currently known to be associated with SSADH deficiency, and genetic testing can detect mutations in about 97% of affected individuals.
Source: GARD

Question: What are the treatments for Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency ?
Answer: How might succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency be treated? Treatment of succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency (SSADH) is generally symptomatic and typically focuses on the treatment of seizures and neurobehavioral disturbances. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) that have proven to be effective in treating the seizures associated with this condition include carbamazepine and lamotrigine (LTG). Medications such as methylphenidate, thioridazine, risperidal, fluoxetine, and benzodiazepines appear to be effective at treating anxiety, aggressiveness, inattention, and hallucinations. Additional treatments may include physical and occupational therapy, sensory integration, and/or speech therapy.
Source: GARD