Main Forms and Symptoms

Categories
Adrenoleukodystrophy presents in three main categories:

• Childhood cerebral form -- which appears in mid-childhood (at ages 4 - 8)
• affects white matter and related cells in the brain
• Adrenomyeloneuropathy -- occurs in men in their 20s or later in life
• affects axonal tracts of the spinal cord
• Impaired adrenal gland function (called Addison disease or Addison-like phenotype) -- adrenal gland does not produce enough steroid hormones

These categories each present symptoms.

Symptoms 

Childhood cerebral type:

• Changes in muscle tone, especially muscle spasms and spasticity
• Crossed eyes (strabismus)
• Decreased understanding of verbal communication (aphasia)
• Deterioration of handwriting
• Difficulty at school
• Difficulty understanding spoken material
• Hearing loss
• Hyperactivity
• Worsening nervous system deterioration
  • Coma
  • Decreased fine motor control
  • Paralysis
• Seizures
• Swallowing difficulties
• Visual impairment or blindness

Adrenomyelopathy:

• Difficulty controlling urination
• Possible worsening muscle weakness or leg stiffness
• Problems with thinking speed and visual memory

Adrenal gland failure (Addison type):

• Coma
• Decreased appetite
• Increased skin color (pigmentation)
• Loss of weight, muscle mass (wasting)
• Muscle weakness
• Vomiting

Alisha M.

References from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002165/