Batten disease
- Also called:
- Spielmeyer-Vogt-Sjogren-Batten disease or juvenile Batten disease
Batten disease, rare and fatal neurodegenerative disease that begins in childhood. The disease is named for British physician Frederick Batten, who in 1903 described the cerebral degeneration and macular changes characteristic of the condition. Batten disease is among the most commonly occurring of the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs), a group of inherited lysosomal storage disorders, the primary feature of which is progressive neurodegeneration with cognitive decline, loss of motor ability, worsening seizures, and early death.
Symptoms and disease course
Batten disease manifests in childhood, typically between ages 4 and 10 years. One of the earliest symptoms is vision impairment, which is followed by a regression in development, often characterized initially by a loss of previously acquired speech skills and an inability to learn new skills. As the disease progresses, the affected individual experiences a further loss of communication skills as well as a loss of motor function, causing slow and stiff movements and difficulty walking. Recurrent seizures, disordered sleep, cardiovascular problems, and behavioral problems also emerge. Affected individuals typically survive only into late adolescence or early adulthood.
Cause, diagnosis, and treatment
Batten disease is associated with inherited mutations in several different genes. The majority of cases are caused by mutations in the CLN3 gene, which alter lysosome function, causing substances normally eliminated by lysosomes to accumulate in the body, particularly in the brain. The buildup of lipofuscin, a pigmented nondegradable lipid-protein substance contained within lysosomes, is thought to contribute to symptoms of the disease.
Lipofuscin serves as a biomarker by which Batten disease is detected. Lipofuscin deposits can be detected by microscopic examination of tissue (e.g., skin) samples. Other diagnostic findings suggestive of Batten disease include blood analyses showing vacuolated white blood cells, urinalysis revealing elevated levels of a substance known as dolichol, and diagnostic imaging (e.g., CT scan) showing atrophied areas of the brain. Diagnosis can be confirmed by genetic testing.
Treatment of Batten disease is focused on the control of symptoms. Anticonvulsant drugs may be given to help control recurrent seizures, and physical therapy may be used to help slow the progressive loss of motor function.
Research and experimental therapies
A number of experimental therapies are under investigation for Batten disease. Examples include gene therapy, stem-cell therapy, and enzyme-replacement therapy. It may be possible to someday treat the disease with injections of fetal-stem-cell material into the brains of affected children. Clinical studies suggest that patients respond well to the treatment, which may be able to restore certain motor and communication skills.
Additional research into new treatments has been sparked by the detection of Batten disease in certain breeds of dog. Testing has shown, for example, that the disease occurs in about 5 percent of Tibetan terriers. Canine models of Batten disease have also been developed, facilitating the study of novel treatments.
