Adult-Type Metachromatic Leukodystrophy Mimicking Multiple Sclerosis

Adult-type metachromatic leukodystrophy mimicking multiple sclerosis.

recessive lysosomal storage disease caused by a deficiency of arylsulphatase A (ASA). It is characterized by accumulation of sulphatide in the white matter in the central nervous system and peripheral nerves1. The disease is divided in four subtypes, according to onset, severity and progression of the disease: late infantile (before age 4), early juvenile (age 4 to 6), late juvenile (age 6 to 1...

Clinical symptoms of adult metachromatic leukodystrophy and arylsulfatase A pseudodeficiency.

OBJECTIVE To determine the clinical symptoms in adult metachromatic leukodystrophy and in adult pseudodeficiency for arylsulfatase A. DESIGN Case series. SETTING University hospital. PATIENTS Twenty-five adult patients with very low arylsulfatase A activity. RESULTS In 13 patients, a diagnosis of adult metachromatic leukodystrophy was made. The main symptoms were dementia, behavioral ab...

Adult metachromatic leukodystrophy with an unusual relapsing-remitting course.

A 46 year old woman had a relapsing-remitting course of hemiparesis, disorientation, paraparesis and seizures, followed by progressive dementia, spasticity and ataxia. Computed tomography at onset showed a parietotemporal hypodense area with diffuse mottled enhancement obliterating the lateral ventricle. Subsequent scans demonstrated symmetric periventricular non-enhancing hypodensities, progre...

MR of childhood metachromatic leukodystrophy.

PURPOSE To investigate the MR findings of childhood metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD). METHODS Nine MR imaging studies in seven children (five girls and two boys, 10 to 32 months old) with MLD were evaluated retrospectively for the extent and progression of white matter abnormalities and the presence of contrast enhancement. RESULTS All seven cases showed symmetric, confluent high signal i...

Metachromatic leukodystrophy: two sides of a coin.