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A rare neurologic disease characterized by neonatal hypotonia, global developmental delay, feeding difficulties, and often seizures or seizure-like episodes. Other frequently observed signs and symptoms include variable dysmorphic features, myopathic facies, respiratory problems, and visual abnormalities, such as strabismus or esotropia. Brain imaging may show delayed myelination and other white matter abnormalities.
Data assembled from 5 of 12 sources · Last updated Sep 20, 2026, 5:27 PM UTC
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Common questions about PURA-related severe neonatal hypotonia-seizures-encephalopathy syndrome
Features include very common findings: Intellectual disability, Absent speech, Broad-based gait, and Floppy infant and others; and common findings: Abnormality of the eye, Abnormality of vision, Abnormal conjugate eye movement, and Soft skin and others. 86 total HPO annotations.
Organ System | Phenotype Count | Example Features |
|---|---|---|
Brain and nerves | 18 | Intellectual disability, Absent speech, Broad-based gait |
Eyes | 7 | Abnormality of the eye, Abnormality of vision, Abnormal conjugate eye movement |
Lungs and breathing | 5 | Apnea, Hypoventilation, Obstructive sleep apnea |
Bones and joints | 5 | Bone and joint problems (abnormality of the skeletal system), Weak and brittle bones (osteoporosis), Joint hypermobility |
Heart and blood vessels | 5 | Abnormal heart morphology, Widened subarachnoid space, Ventricular septal defect |
Digestive system | 4 | Constipation, Feeding difficulties, Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) |
Hormones | 4 | Abnormality of the endocrine system, Hypothyroidism, Precocious puberty |
Kidneys and urinary system | 2 | Abnormality of the genitourinary system, Nephrolithiasis |
Skin | 1 | Soft skin |
Arms and legs | 1 | Stereotypical hand wringing |
Muscles | 1 | Myopathic facies |
Growth and development | 1 | Short stature |
Lab test results | 1 | Increased circulating prolactin concentration |
Blood and immune system | 1 | Low red blood cell count (anemia) |
Age of onset: newborn period, infancy.
PURA-related neurodevelopmental disorders comprise PURA syndrome (caused by a heterozygous PURA pathogenic sequence variant) and 5q31.3 deletion syndrome (caused by a nonrecurrent 5q31.3 deletion encompassing all or part of PURA). PURA-related neurodevelopmental disorders are characterized by moderate-to-severe neurodevelopmental delay; most affected individuals are nonverbal, and many do not achieve independent ambulation. Early-onset issues are wide ranging and can include hypotonia, hypothermia, hypersomnolence, feeding difficulties, excessive hiccups, recurrent central and obstructive apneas, epileptic seizures, abnormal nonepileptic movements, and visual problems.
Source: GeneReviews — "PURA-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders"
No formal clinical diagnostic criteria have been published for PURA-related neurodevelopmental disorders, which comprise PURA syndrome (caused by a heterozygous PURA pathogenic sequence variant) and 5q31.3 deletion syndrome (caused by a nonrecurrent 5q31.3 deletion encompassing all or part of PURA).
A PURA-related neurodevelopmental disorder should be suspected in infants and older individuals with the following clinical findings.
Infants
Hypotonia
Neonatal hypoventilation
Hypothermia
Hypersomnolence
Feeding difficulties, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Older individuals
Hypotonia
Moderate-to-severe intellectual disability, including absent speech
Seizures
Abnormal nonepileptic movements (e.g., dystonia, dyskinesia, and dysconjugate eye movements)
Source: GeneReviews — "PURA-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders"
Disorders in the differential diagnosis of PURA-related neurodevelopmental disorders are:
• Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome
• Prader-Willi syndrome
Lower extremity-predominant autosomal dominant spinal muscular atrophy 1 (OMIM 158600)/ distal autosomal recessive spinal muscular atrophy 1 (OMIM 604320)
Myotonic dystrophy in the newborn (see Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1)
Neurotransmitter disorder
• Rett syndrome
• Pitt-Hopkins syndrome
• Angelman syndrome
See Mental retardation, autosomal dominant: OMIM Phenotypic Series to view genes associated with this phenotype in OMIM.
Source: GeneReviews — "PURA-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders"
Biomarker and diagnostic research for PURA-related severe neonatal hypotonia-seizures-encephalopathy syndrome has been reported in the published literature.
No approved treatments are currently available for PURA-related severe neonatal hypotonia-seizures-encephalopathy syndrome. The disease remains an area of unmet medical need.
To establish the extent of disease and needs in an individual diagnosed with a PURA-related neurodevelopmental disorder, the following evaluations are recommended.
Table 2.
Recommended Evaluations Following Initial Diagnosis
System/Concern | Evaluation | Comment
| Developmental assessment |
| Neurologic eval |
Brain MRI | Indicated in a child w/a PURA-related neurodevelopmental disorder w/seizures /or hypoventilation /or abnormal vision or eye movements who has not previously had a brain MRI
EEG video EEG | If seizures are suspected
Eyes | Ophthalmology exam | Electrodiagnostic tests may be indicated.
| Consider echocardiogram |
| Assessment of pulmonary function | As needed
|
Feeding assessment w/analysis of swallowing eval for possible aspiration
Assessment for constipation
| As needed
| Consider ultrasound of the urinary tract. |
| Appropriate radiographs | If hip dysplasia /or scoliosis is suspected
| Assessment of serum vitamin D levels |
Assessment of bone density | If osteoporosis or osteopenia is suspected
Eval of anterior pituitary hormones | If necessary
Miscellaneous/
| Consultation w/clinical geneticist /or genetic counselor |
Individuals often benefit when management is provided by a multidisciplinary team including relevant specialists, which may include, but is not limited to, a pediatrician, clinical geneticist, chi...
Source: GeneReviews — "PURA-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders"
Search ClinicalTrials.gov in the US and EU Clinical Trials Register in Europe for access to information on clinical studies for a wide range of diseases and conditions. Note: There may not be clinical trials for this disorder.
Source: GeneReviews — "PURA-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders"
View trials for PURA-related severe neonatal hypotonia-seizures-encephalopathy syndrome
Table 4. Recommended Surveillance for Individuals with PURA-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders
System/Concern | Evaluation | Frequency/Comment |
|---|---|---|
Cognitive | Monitoring by developmental pediatrician | Long-term |
Neurologic | EEG video EEG monitoring | If seizures suspected |
Eyes | Ophthalmologic vision evals | Routine Gastrointestinal |
Source: GeneReviews — "PURA-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders"
Phenotype severity distribution: 6 very common features, 24 common features.
Estimated prevalence: <1 in 1,000,000 (VERY_RARE).
No clinical trials have been registered for PURA-related severe neonatal hypotonia-seizures-encephalopathy syndrome.
19 publications have been identified in PubMed for PURA-related severe neonatal hypotonia-seizures-encephalopathy syndrome. Research spans Case Report / Case Series (37%), Review / Meta-Analysis (32%), and Basic Science / Preclinical (21%).
Research Type | Count | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
Patient case studies | 7 | 37% |
Research summaries | 6 | 32% |
Laboratory research | 4 | 21% |
Other research | 1 | 5% |
Testing and diagnosis research | 1 | 5% |
Wang Y (2026). [PMID: 41988154](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41988154/). *Front Pediatr*. [Case Report / Case Series]
Mroczek M (2026). [PMID: 41575592](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41575592/). *J Neurol*. [Basic Science / Preclinical]
Afshar S (2026). [PMID: 41978590](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41978590/). *Cureus*. [Review / Meta-Analysis]
Puri K (2026). [PMID: 41784770](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41784770/). *Indian J Pediatr*. [Other]
Yang H (2026). [PMID: 41320140](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41320140/). *Gene*. [Case Report / Case Series]
Liu SN (2025). [PMID: 40713824](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40713824/). *Orphanet J Rare Dis*. [Review / Meta-Analysis]
Sinisterra-Díaz SE (2025). [PMID: 40475166](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40475166/). *Mol Syndromol*. [Case Report / Case Series]
Kobak J (2025). [PMID: 40708900](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40708900/). *Front Pediatr*. [Case Report / Case Series]
Taniguchi N (2025). [PMID: 39824548](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39824548/). *J Med Genet*. [Review / Meta-Analysis]
Wang Y (2025). [PMID: 41130720](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41130720/). *J Med Genet*. [Basic Science / Preclinical]