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Giant axonal neuropathy (GAN) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder described as a symmetrical distal neuropathy, with peripheral axons dilated by accumulation of 10 nm neurofilaments (NF) and a severe course of the disease. The observation of kinky or curly hairs is not a constant finding. The GAN1 locus was localized by homozygosity mapping to chromosome 16 q24.1 in a 3 (4) cM interval flanked by the markers D16S3073 and D16S505 (D16S511) in three non-related Tunisian families, showing a genetic homogeneity in these families. Two point lod-score calculation between the linked haplotype and the disease locus was 14.2 at theta(max) = 0. The patients share a slow course of the disease. The differences in the course of the disease between Tunisian and non-Tunisian patients suggest a possible genetic heterogeneity, which is why the present linkage has been referred to as GAN1. The biochemical defect in GAN1 should help to understand the mechanisms involved in NF accumulations as in other neurological diseases (ALS, SMA).

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