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 Read about events on Capitol Hill, funding for rare-disease research, and other topics of interest from NORD's office in Washington, DC.
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should never be used for diagnostic or treatment purposes. If you have questions regarding
a medical condition, always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health
professional. NORD's reports provide a brief overview of rare diseases. For more specific
information, we encourage you to contact your personal physician or the agencies listed as
"Resources" on this report.
Copyright 2005
NORD is grateful to Katherine W. Timothy of Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, for assistance in the preparation of this report.
Synonyms of Timothy Syndrome
Disorder Subdivisions
General Discussion
Timothy syndrome (TS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by a spectrum of problems that include an abnormally prolonged cardiac "repolarization" time (long QT interval). This refers to the process of returning heart cells to a resting state in preparation for the next heartbeat. The prolonged repolarization time predisposes individuals to abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias), cardiac arrest and sudden death. Other problems included in the TS spectrum are webbing of fingers and/or toes (syndactyly); structural heart abnormalities present at birth (congenital); a weakened immune system; developmental delays and autism. Timothy syndrome was identified in 2004 by researchers at Children’s Hospital Boston, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Utah and University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Despite the complexity of health concerns, this syndrome arises from a single, spontaneous mutation in the Ca(v)1.2 Calcium Channel gene called CACNA1C. Multiple body systems are affected by this mutation due to impairment of a very fundamental cell ion channel, found in most tissues and organs, which controls the amount of calcium entering a cell. As a result of this mutation, the ion channel gating closure is affected and cells are overwhelmed by a continuous influx of calcium. The affected gene is active (expressed) in cardiac muscle cells as well as tissues of the gastrointestinal system, lungs, immune system, smooth muscle, testes, and brain, including regions of the brain that are associated with abnormalities observed in autism.
Organizations related to Timothy Syndrome
- American Heart Association
7272 Greenville Avenue
Dallas TX 75231-4596
Phone #: 214-373-6300
800 #: 800-242-8721
e-mail: Review.personal.info@heart.org
Home page: http://www.americanheart.org
- Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
PO Box 8126
Gaithersburg MD 20898-8126
Phone #: 301-251-4925
800 #: 888-205-2311
e-mail: ordr@od.nih.gov
Home page: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/Default.aspx
- HOPE (The Heart of Pediatric Electrophysiology)
PO Box 519
Park Ridge NJ 07565
Phone #: 201-505-9383
800 #: 877-394-4673
e-mail: info@heartbeatsofhope.org, info@timothysyndrome.org
Home page: http://www.heartbeatsofhope.org
- NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Information Center
P.O. Box 30105
Bethesda MD 20824-0105
Phone #: 301-592-8573
800 #: --
e-mail: nhlbiinfo@rover.nhlbi.nih.gov
Home page: N/A
- Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndromes Foundation
508 E South Temple #20
Salt Lake City UT 84102
Phone #: 801-531-0937
800 #: 800-786-7723
e-mail: sads@sads.org
Home page: http://www.sads.org
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