Figure. This figure shows how individuals with STXBP1-related and SYNGAP1-related disorders distribute across commonly used cerebral palsy classification systems and how these classifications relate to each other. Panels (a–c) display the proportion of individuals in each severity level (Levels I–V) for gross motor function (GMFCS), manual ability (MACS/Mini-MACS), and communication (CFCS), compared to a reference cerebral palsy (CP) cohort. These levels range from more independent function (Level I) to more significant support needs (Level V), providing a structured way to describe ability across domains. Panels (d,e) take this one step further by connecting each individual’s classification across the three systems. Each line represents one person, linking their motor, manual, and communication levels. Rather than collapsing function into a single score, this visualization shows how individuals occupy different positions across domains. What becomes visible is that these conditions are not one-dimensional: a given level of motor function does not necessarily predict communication or manual ability. This multidimensional pattern is exactly what these classification systems allow us to capture (Figure 1 from Pierce, Orlando et al., 2026).
…and suddenly, decades of cerebral palsy research became meaningful to STXBP1 and SYNGAP1.
Our new study (Pierce, Orlando, et al.) shows that CP classification systems actually work in synaptic disorders
🔗 epilepsygenetics.blog/2026/04/12/w...
#Neurogenetics #Epilepsy #RareDisease #STXBP1 #SYNGAP1