Gena Montgomery
Ms. Johnson
Biology CP, 3B
10 April 2015 Alexander’s Disease Alexander disease is a rare disorder of the nervous system. Alexander’s disease a cluster of disorders called Leukodystrophies, which contain the damage of myelin. Myelin is a mixture of proteins that protects the nerves, increasing the speed of the nerve pulse. Alexander’s disease diagnosis is based on medical discoveries, and confirmed with MRI variations and identification. This translates glial fibrillary acidic protein. It is usually found in infants or young children in early childhood, but it varies, it could also be found in adults in some cases. If Alexander’s disease is existing in the MRI it will show widespread white-matter in the brain, a lot of swelling and enlargement of the brain, brain stem irregularities, etc. This disorder is a mutation of a gene, the GFAP gene. Alexander’s cannot be passed down, as shown in children neither of the parents have the disorder. It all depends on if there is a mutation in the GFAP gene or not. It cannot be passed down throughout parents. This disorder is not found in one ethnicity more than another, it can be found in any ethnicity. The causes of this disorder is the mutation of the GFAP gene. The GFAP gene provides directions for construction of the protein named glial fibrillary acidic protein. This protein supports and toughens cells. Mutations in this gene hints to a physically different protein. Preservation of myelin is affected by the changed protein, leading to the signs and symptoms of Alexander disease. This disease was first founded by a doctor named W.S Alexander in 1949. The disease was described as a neurological fatal disorder. The effects/complications are almost all the time fatal. There is no treatment for this disorder, it is a supportive disease no cures available. The causes of this disorder is a mutation of the GFAP gene. The GFAP gene provides directions for construction of the protein named glial fibrillary acidic protein. This protein supports and toughens cells. Mutations in this gene hints to a physically different protein. Preservation of myelin is affected by the changed protein, leading to the signs and symptoms of Alexander disease. Some warning symptoms/signs of Alexander’s disease is enlarged brain/head, seizures, water on the brain, developmental delay, suffering of spasms, stiffness in arms and or legs, intellectual disability, etc.