ALD+(Adrenal+Leukodystrophy)

toc =Adrenal Leukodystrophy (ALD)= Joey LaLiberte and Ryan Bathon

What is ALD?
ALD is sex-linked and is carried on the X-chromosome. Because of this, males are more likely to get this disease and suffer from it a lot more than females would, as they have only one X chromosome. There are many different varities of ALD, which is short for Adrenal Leukodystrophy. ALD varies from childhood ALD to adolescent and adult Cerebral ALD. There is also forms of ALD that consist of Adrenomyeloneuropathy, Adrenal Insufficiency Only, and Symptomatic Heterozygotes. (7) (Both Images-#7)

[[image:http://www.ulf.org/images/ipatients2.jpg width="168" height="71" align="right"]]
(These are only some of the many unfortunate symptoms of ALD) (2)
 * - Coma
 * - Academic Underachievment
 * - Hearing Impailment
 * - Decoloration of Skin
 * - Paralysis
 * - Seizures
 * - Spasms
 * - Blindness

How Does ALD Affect The Everyday Lives of a Human Being?
ALD can affect the life of an everyday person by having to be tended to every day. ALD patients must be watched at all times because of all the symptoms that could kill the patient. Caretakers to these people have to be very intent in watching them and also have to be dedicated enough to spend most of their time around their loved ones. This disease mat be devestating, however it brings out the best in people and can show their caring side. There are no modifications to the home for ALD. Changes to the home only consist of extra care taken from peers. This disease is not an advantage for a patient. (7)

Who does ALD affect?
ALD affects every one in 18,000 people and ALD happens all around the world. (7)

What Does Adrenal Leukodystrophy Mean?
In 1971, when Dr. Michael Blaw discovered ALD, he named it for this: //adreno// stands for infection in the adrenal glands, //leuko// stands for the white matter of the brain, and //dystrophy// refers to imperfect growth or development. Because this disease was discovered in 1971, this disease is not evolutionary. (2)

Treatments
There are not many treatments for the disease, the only two are physical therapy and bone marrow transplantation. Bone marrow transplantation is when cells normaly found in the bone marrow are taken out of the body and filtered, and then some cells are put back in the body and some are given to other people. There are no new ideas or treatments for ALD. (1+2)

Prevention
You can prevent this disease by having oleic acid (Lorenzo's Oil) and a restricted diet with out having very fatty food. Some people have also been given Glycerol Trioleate. (2+3)

Prognosis
The expectations for this disease are if you get it if you are young than you have a very good chance at having only mild symptoms and you can be treated. But if the neurological symptoms develop after two years you can go into a coma but after ten years you can die. (2)

Diagnosis
Tests can show that blood levels show elevated very-long fatty acids, gene mutations can be found, and an MRI shows damage to the white matter of the brain. (6)

Sample Problem
A man and a woman want to have children. The man is normal and the woman is heterozygous normal. (carrier) Complete a punnett square to find out the genotypes of their children. (5)

Punnett Square
 Leukodystrophy || X L Y No Leukodystrophy || Leukodystrophy || X L Y No Leukodystrophy || __l__= Leukodystrophy L= No Leukodystrophy "Lorenzo's Oil" Trailor (4) media type="youtube" key="CxkylRxJxh8" height="352" width="360" A trailor of the 1992 movie "Lorenzo's Oil" about a child going through the fight of ALD.
 * || X __ l __ || Y ||
 * X L || X __ l __ X L
 * X L || X __ l __ X L