A rapidly progressive X-linked genetic disorder marked by the accumulation of saturated very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA) in all tissues and body fluids, with a preference for the brain and the adrenal glands. This buildup leads to inflammation of the brain and erosion of the white matter of the central nervous system and the adrenal glands. It affects only boys; while there is a neonatal form, it typically strikes between the ages of 6 and 10.

Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is a degenerative disorder of myelin, a complex fatty neural tissue that insulates many nerves of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Without myelin, nerves are unable to conduct an impulse, leading to increasing disability as myelin destruction increases and intensifies. The victims of ALD are typically male, and the disease begins its expression around the ages 5 to 10.

Polymerase