Genomic study finds no unifying germline genetic cause in Moebius syndrome, suggesting complex inheritance, somatic variants, or environmental mechanisms.
Purpose: To explore the phenotypic spectrum and genetic etiologies of Moebius Syndrome (MBS), a rare neurological disorder defined by congenital, nonprogressive facial weakness and limitations in ocular abduction. Methods: We applied strict diagnostic criteria and conducted clinical phenotyping of 149 individuals with MBS. Subsequently, we performed exome and/or genome sequencing on 67 of these individuals and 117 unaffected family members. Results: (HGNC:9968). Conclusion: We did not identify a strong or unifying germline genetic etiology for MBS. Future studies may explore alternative causes, including environmental exposures, somatic variants, and/or complex inheritance patterns affecting brainstem and organ embryogenesis.
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Webb et al. (2025) studied this question.
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