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This very rare congenital disorder (perhaps 1 in 100,000 births) is characterized by facial paralysis and a lack of ability to move the eyes from side to side. This is a result of failure of normal development of the sixth and seventh cranial nerves. Sometimes, other facial nerves are also affected – if the eighth nerve is affected, hear loss is present as well.
Abnormalities in other areas can include problems with the chest wall and extremities. Given the lack of facial expression, most individuals with the condition are assumed not to have normal intelligence, but this is not correct. The condition is named after the neurologist who described it in the last 1800s. Treatment is supportive in nature. The etiology of the syndrome remains unclear with some suggestion of genetic links as well as links to teratogenic drugs such as thalidomide.
A few studies, mostly case reports and at least one case series, have suggested a potential increased risk for...
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References and Reading
Johansson, M., Wentz, E., Fernell, E., Stromland, K., Miller, M. T., & Gillberg, C. (2001). Autistic spectrum disorders in Mobius sequence: A comprehensive study of 25 individuals [Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov’t]. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 43(5), 338–345.
Miller, G. (2007). Neurological disorders. The mystery of the missing smile [News]. Science, 316(5826), 826–827.
Stromland, K., Sjogreen, L., Miller, M., Gillberg, C., Wentz, E., Johansson, M., et al. (2002). Mobius sequence – A Swedish multidiscipline study [Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov’t]. European Journal of Paediatric Neurology, 6(1), 35–45.
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Volkmar, F.R. (2020). Möbius Syndrome. In: Volkmar, F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_60-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_60-3
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