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X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy

pathology
Also known as: X-ALD

Quick Summary

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is a rare, inherited demyelinating disease affecting the central nervous system. It is passed down as a sex-linked recessive trait, primarily impacting males, often in childhood.12

The pathology of ALD involves progressive deterioration, characterized by symptoms such as blindness, deafness, tonic spasms, and mental decline. Because it is sex-linked, there is no direct father-to-son transmission of the condition. Females can be carriers, with a 50% chance of passing the gene to their children. Males inheriting the gene will manifest the trait, while daughters who receive it become carriers.12

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