Mondo Description A rare, complex type of hereditary spastic paraplegia characterized by early-onset progressive spastic paraplegia presenting in infancy, associated with optic atrophy, fixation nystagmus, polyneuropathy occurring in late childhood/early adolescence leading to severe motor disability and progressive joint contractures and scoliosis. SPOAN syndrome is caused by mutations in the KLC2 gene (11q13.1), encoding kinesin light chain 2.

Uniprot Description A form of spastic paraplegia, a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a slow, gradual, progressive weakness and spasticity of the lower limbs. Rate of progression and the severity of symptoms are quite variable. Initial symptoms may include difficulty with balance, weakness and stiffness in the legs, muscle spasms, and dragging the toes when walking. In some forms of the disorder, bladder symptoms (such as incontinence) may appear, or the weakness and stiffness may spread to other parts of the body. SPOAN is characterized by spastic paraplegia with progressive joint contractures and spine deformities, loss of independent ambulation by age 10 years, sub-normal vision secondary to congenital optic atrophy, and neuropathy. Inheritance is autosomal recessive.

Disease Ontology Description A neurodegenerative disease characterized by spastic paraplegia, axonal neuropathy, dysarthria, acoustic startle, and congenital optical atrophy. It has material basis in homozygous mutation in the KLC2 gene on chromosome 11q13.2.