Editorial: Towards a European consensus guideline for Phelan-McDermid syndrome

In 2001, Katy Phelan and Heather McDermid described the clinical and cytogenetic characteristics of 37 people with a 22q13.3 deletion(Phelan et al., 2001). The 22q13.3 deletion syndrome was since then referred to as Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS) (OMIM#606232).Later on, the deletion of a single gene, i.e. SHANK3 (OMIM#606230),was found to be responsible for the majority of the clinical features.Individuals with a pathogenic variant in SHANK3 appeared to have a similar phenotype, that is also referred to as Phelan-McDermid syndrome (Schon ¨ et al., 2023, this issue; Vitrac et al., 2023, this issue). Sincenot all individuals referred to in the original publication of Phelan and McDermid may have had a deletion 22q13.3 including SHANK3 there has been some debate on how the phenotype should be called whenSHANK3 is not involved. Consequently, a distinction in different types ofPhelan-McDermid syndrome has been proposed: PMS SHANK3-relatedand PMS SHANK3-unrelated (Phelan et al., 2022).

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European Consensus Recommendations on Communication, Language and Speech in Phelan-McDermid Syndrome

Phelan-McDermid syndrome is a genetic condition primarily caused by a deletion on the 22q13.3 region or a likely pathogenic/pathogenic variant of SHANK3. The main features comprise global developmental delay, marked impairment or absence of speech, and other clinical characteristics to a variable degree, such as hypotonia or psychiatric comorbidities.

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European Consensus Recommendations on Altered Sensory Functioning in Phelan-McDermid syndrome

Altered sensory functioning is often observed in individuals with SHANK3 related Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS). Compared to typically developing individuals and individuals with an autism spectrum disorder, it has been suggested that there are distinctive features of sensory functioning in PMS.

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