


This is a rare inherited condition that can develop during childhood. It also causes ataxia, or a loss of coordination of muscle movements, and problems swallowing. Infants and children with Leigh disease typically have low muscle tone and noticeably slow speech, physical reactions, and emotional reactions.

This syndrome is characterized by liver dysfunction, jaundice, intellectual difficulties, and low muscle tone. The condition progresses rapidly and is fatal, usually by the age of 2. In infants, it causes extreme irritability, increased muscle tone, fever, and developmental regression. However, the most common form is infantile Krabbe disease, which begins before the age of 1. Krabbe diseaseĪlso known as globoid cell leukodystrophy, Krabbe disease can develop at any age. People with the juvenile form of metachromatic leukodystrophy, which develops between the age of 4 and adolescence, may live for many years after diagnosis. It is not possible to stop disease progression, and it is typically fatal within 6 months to 4 years of symptom onset. Within 2 years, children can develop gait and posture problems, as well as blindness and paralysis. This condition occurs between 12 and 18 months of age and causes deterioration in thinking skills, speech, and coordination. Some examples in children include: Late infantile metachromatic leukodystrophy Some forms of white matter disease, such as dysmyelinating diseases, can begin during childhood.ĭysmyelinating diseases, wherein myelin does not form correctly, can result from problems such as an inherited enzyme deficiency. progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalopathy, or Hurst disease.neuromyelitis optica, or Devic’s disease.

Some examples of conditions that affect white matter include: Processes that cause these types of damage include genetic conditions, autoimmune conditions, and infections. Myelin is a layer of insulation that protects nerves in the brain and spinal cord, and myelination is the formation of this insulation layer.Ĭonditions affecting myelin can result from either destruction of existing myelin (demyelinating diseases) or from abnormalities in the formation of myelin (dysmyelinating diseases). The common factors are impairment of normal myelination or damage to already myelinated nerves. There are several conditions that healthcare professionals consider to be white matter diseases.
