The professor spoke about new causes of neurological diseases in children

Children are increasingly diagnosed with complex neurological diseases associated with hereditary disorders, de novo mutations, metabolic diseases, and a combination of neurological and psychiatric symptoms. Early diagnosis of such conditions helps not to miss the time when disorders are better amenable to correction. On June 1, Head of the Department of Pediatric Neurology at Sechenov University, curator of the Pediatric Neuropsychiatric Department at the Sechenov Center for Motherhood and Childhood, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Lusine Khachatryan told Izvestia.

According to the expert, in recent years, hereditary diseases, including chromosomal and genetic disorders, have come to the fore in pediatric neurology. In many complex cases that are difficult to diagnose and correct, it is possible to identify the genetic cause. De novo mutations are of particular importance — changes that occur for the first time in a child and are absent from the genome of both parents.

"In many complex cases of diseases that are difficult to diagnose and correct, it is possible to find a genetic background. On the one hand, this is alarming, and on the other, it gives an impetus to understanding complex pathogenetic mechanisms, which further helps in the search for new treatment methods," Khachatryan noted.

The modern pediatric neurologist also has to take into account vascular diseases, autoimmune encephalitis, mitochondrial disorders and epileptic encephalopathies. To identify them, a comprehensive clinical, laboratory and instrumental examination is required, including neuroimaging, EEG monitoring, evoked potentials, advanced biochemical analyses and genetic tests. According to the doctor, genome research today is "no longer a luxury, but a necessity."

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Another important change was the close relationship between neurological and psychiatric disorders. Emotional sphere, behavior and physical condition are often affected in children with speech and mental retardation.

"The most common neurological problems in children are autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Therefore, when identifying a neurological pathology, we always recommend consulting a psychiatrist," the doctor noted.

The specialist emphasized that genetically determined metabolic and accumulation diseases can manifest as symptoms of autism. Therefore, with an autism spectrum disorder, it is important to look for the cause of the condition: in some cases, this allows you to influence the mechanism of the disease, improve the child's condition and reduce the severity of the syndrome. A similar approach is needed for delayed speech development, the causes of which may be different.

On March 3, Ekaterina Demyanovskaya, a neurologist and expert at the Hemotest laboratory, told Izvestia that hearing loss may be associated not only with ear diseases, but also with damage to the central nervous system. According to the specialist, one of the most common neurological causes of hearing impairment is the neurinoma of the auditory nerve, which is also called vestibular schwannoma.

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