Adrenoleukodystrophy

Adrenoleukodystrophy
White matter, with reduced volume and increased signal intensity. The anterior white matter is spared. Features are consistent with X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy.
Classification and external resources
Specialty	Medical genetics
ICD-10	E71.3
ICD-9-CM	330.0, 277.86
OMIM	300100 202370
DiseasesDB	292
MedlinePlus	001182
MeSH	D000326
GeneReviews	X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy
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Adrenoleukodystrophy (/-ˌlu-koʊ-ˈdis-trə-fiː/; also known as X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy, ALD, X-ALD, Siemerling–Creutzfeldt disease or bronze Schilder disease) is a disease linked to the X chromosome. It is a result of fatty acid buildup caused by the relevant enzymes not functioning properly, which then causes damage to the myelin sheathes of the nerves, resulting in seizures and hyperactivity. Other side effects include problems with speaking, listening and understanding verbal instructions.

In more detail, it is a disorder of peroxisomal fatty acid beta oxidation which results in the accumulation of very long chain fatty acids in tissues throughout the body. The most severely affected tissues are the myelin in the central nervous system, the adrenal cortex and the Leydig cells in the testes. Clinically, ALD is a heterogeneous disorder, presenting with several distinct phenotypes, and no clear pattern of genotype-phenotype correlation. As an X-linked disorder, ALD presents most commonly in males, however approximately 50% of heterozygote females show some symptoms later in life. Approximately two-thirds of ALD patients will present with the childhood cerebral form of the disease, which is the most severe form. It is characterized by normal development in early childhood, followed by rapid degeneration to a vegetative state. The other forms of ALD vary in terms of onset and clinical severity, ranging from adrenal insufficiency to progressive paraparesis in early adulthood (this form of the disease is typically known as adrenomyeloneuropathy).

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