Living with Hereditary spastic paraplegia 72
A pure type of hereditary spastic paraplegia starting in early childhood, with slowly worsening leg stiffness.
Understanding Hereditary spastic paraplegia 72
Leg weakness and stiffness progress slowly, with a spastic walk, mild stiffness at rest, and brisk reflexes in the legs. Some people have a mild tremor, high arches, bladder problems, and loss of feeling at the ankles.
Signs & symptoms
Symptoms vary from person to person. GARD lists these among the most common:
- Spastic walk
- Muscle stiffness (rigidity)
- High-arched feet (pes cavus)
- Bladder control problems
- Mild tremor, in some people
- Reduced feeling at the ankles, in some people
Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.
Diagnosis
- 1Talk with your doctor
Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.
- 2See a specialist
Specialists who may be involved include brain and nervous system specialists and genetic specialists.
- 3Consider genetic testing
Changes in REEP2 are linked to this condition. Genetic testing and counseling can help confirm a diagnosis and explain what it means for your family.
- 4Connect with expert centers
Spastic Paraplegia Foundation may keep lists of experts for this condition.
Care & treatment
- Care team
- Brain and nervous system specialists (neurologists); Genetic specialists (geneticists)
- Expert care
- Expert lists: Spastic Paraplegia Foundation
- Treatment
- GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
- Research
- Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.
General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.
Everyday life
Living with a rare condition is easier with support.
- Connect with Spastic Paraplegia Foundation
- Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
- Ask about patient registries that help research
- Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Quick facts
It is caused by changes in the REEP2 gene. It can be autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive.
Also known as: autosomal spastic paraplegia type 72; hereditary spastic paraplegia type 72; pure hereditary spastic paraplegia caused by mutation in reep2; reep2 pure hereditary spastic paraplegia; spastic paraplegia 72, autosomal recessive; spg72
Patient organizations
- Spastic Paraplegia FoundationHereditary spastic paraplegia · United States
Broader rare-disease groups
- Global GenesRare Diseases · United States
- National Organization for Rare DisordersRare Diseases · United States
- Genetic AllianceRare Diseases · United States
- RARE FoundationRare Diseases · United States
You are more than your diagnosis
Perspectives from people navigating life with Hereditary spastic paraplegia 72.
Explore research for Hereditary spastic paraplegia 72
Explore actively recruiting Hereditary spastic paraplegia 72 studies with HealthSpark.
Find actively recruiting studies for Hereditary spastic paraplegia 72 with HealthSpark. Share your city to explore research near you.
- Recruiting studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
- Share your city to look for research near you
- Eligibility is confirmed by the study team
Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper
I can help you find recruiting Hereditary spastic paraplegia 72 studies. Enter a ZIP code, address or city below and I'll look within 50 miles.
Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper · Study information from ClinicalTrials.gov · Eligibility is confirmed by the study team.
Get Signals for Hereditary spastic paraplegia 72
Stay in the loop with community stories and updates from medical researchers.
Create a living journal that talks back
HealthStory evolves private journaling with a living AI journal that talks back and asks thoughtful questions, helping you capture your Hereditary spastic paraplegia 72 experiences more deeply and prepare for better conversations with your doctors and care team.
Your journal is private. Sharing your story publicly is a separate choice, made with Share your story above.