Description
Adrenoleukodystrophy, ALD, is a neurological
disorder on the X chromosome. Since it is a recessive disease on the X chromosome,
it is found mostly in males. The symptoms start somewhere between 4 and 10 for
the 1st type of ALD, or Childhood Adrenoleukodystrophy. Adrenomy eloneuropathy,
or adult Adrenoleukodystrophy, develops from ages 20 to 35. Another type of ALD
is neonatal ALD or Adrenoleukodystrophy in babies. This is type of ALD progresses more rapidly.
Symptoms
The symptoms start
off as behavior problems, then memory and vision problems, after that the individual has difficulty hearing, talking, swallowing,
and walking. The main symptom is demyelization, the stripping away of fatty coating and the inability for nerves to
conduct properly. This causes neurological deficits such as visual disturbances, hearing inability, stiffness of the
limbs, weakness of the limbs, impaired coordination, dementia, seizures, and paralysis of the limbs. This all builds
up until the nerve cells in the brain are destroyed. Generally two after the symptoms began the individual dies.
In babies the symptoms
are liver enlargement, seizures, degeneration of the retina, adrenal gland damage, poor muscle toning, and abnormal facial
appearance.
Inheritance
The gene is hereditary,
X-linked, and recessive. The gene is carried by the female and passed to the son.
Treatment
There is no cure
for Adrenoleukodystrophy. There are a few treatments though, including, adrenal hormone replacement, extra help at school,
bone marrow transplants. Another way to treat Adrenoleukodystrophy is Lorenzo's oil, oleic and euric acid, this combination
may delay or reduce symptoms, and it is best when used before symptoms start occurring.
Lifespan
An individual who
has Adrenoleukodystrophy has a shortened lifespan, but the length isn't known. The lifespan depends on when the individual's
symptoms start occurring, as afore mentioned after the symptoms start the individual normally dies after two years.
DONATE!
Fight ALD is an organization
raising money to help individuals who do have ALD and to help find a cure. The money is donated to the top medical centers.
Every dollar helps, and the goal is to raise 30 million dollars.
