Adrenoleukodystrophy is an inherited, debilitating disorder that primarily impacts boys and men. Due to the body’s inability to process certain fats, dangerous amounts of fatty acid build up in the nervous system as well as in the testes and adrenal gland. In one form of the disease, the adrenal gland is unable to produce an adequate amount of steroid hormone, resulting in Addison disease or a similar illness that is characterized by such symptoms as muscle wastage, vomiting and even coma. Another type of the disease impacts children between the ages of four and eight, and causes involuntary muscle spasms, loss of hearing, crossed eyes, seizures, seeing problems and more. A third form of adrenoleukodystrophy is called adrenomyelopathy and is usually diagnosed in men aged 20 and up with symptoms ranging from uncontrolled urination to loss of visual memory, muscle weakness and leg stiffness. Depending on the cause of the disease, possible treatments may include hormone therapy/cortisol replacement or possibly bone marrow transplantation.
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