Canavan disease: Canavan disease is a rare, inherited, neurological disorder characterized by spongy degeneration of the brain (in which the white matter is replaced by ... more about Canavan disease.
Canavan disease: Rare genetic degenerative brain disease in infants. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Canavan disease is available below.
See full list of 11 symptoms of Canavan disease
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Prognosis for Canavan disease: Poor. Degenerative. Typically death before age 10.
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The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.
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Canavan disease is a rare, inherited, neurological disorder characterized by spongy degeneration of the brain (in which the white matter is replaced by microscopic fluid-filled spaces). It is caused by a deficiency of an enzyme called aspartoacylase. Canavan disease is one of a group of genetic disorders called the leukodystrophies that affect growth of the myelin sheath of the nerve fibers in the brain. The myelin sheath is the fatty covering surrounding nerve cells that acts as an insulator. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Canavan Disease Information Page: NINDS)
Canavan disease is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of
Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH). This means that Canavan disease, or a subtype of Canavan disease,
affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Ophanet, a consortium of European partners,
currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000.
They list Canavan disease as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet
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