ASSESSING NEURAL MECHANISMS OF INJURY IN INBORN ERRORS OF UREA METABOLISM USI

Georgetown University, Washington DC

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Abstract

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. This project will study cognitive and motor dysfunction in patients who are female carriers of ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTCD) or are males with late onset presentation of OTCD. This project seeks to improve our understanding of the underlying neural mechanisms that contribute to metabolic, cognitive, sensory and motor abnormalities in urea cycle disorders. Experimental approaches will combine sensory, cognitive and motor testing with structural, functional and molecular magnetic resonance imaging to study symptomatic and asymptomatic heterozygous female carriers of X-linked Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTCD), and late onset hemizygous males. Participants will be asked to submit to several tests that include: MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) a non-invasive technique, sensory, cognitive and motor testing and Laboratory testing (blood/urine)