National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) refers to a group of conditions that affect the nervous system. Signs and symptoms vary widely between the forms but generally include a combination of dementia, vision loss, and epilepsy. Although the NCLs were historically classified according to their age of onset and clinical symptoms, the most recent classification system is primarily based on their underlying genetic cause. Most forms are inherited in an autosomal recessive manner; however, autosomal dominant inheritance has been reported in one adult-onset form (neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis 4B). Treatment options are limited to therapies that can help relieve some of the symptoms.[1][2]

The Batten Disease Support and Research Association (BDSRA) has more information about the different types of NCL.
Please note: Batten disease originally referred specifically to the juvenile and most common form of NCL, now known as CLN3. However, the term Batten disease is increasingly used to describe all forms of NCL. All types of NCL also belong to a larger group of diseases known as lysosomal storage disorders.[1]
Last updated: 9/7/2015

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Abnormal electroretinogram 0000512
Abnormal retinal vascular morphology
Abnormality of retina blood vessels
0008046
EEG abnormality 0002353
Intellectual disability
Mental deficiency
Mental retardation
Mental retardation, nonspecific
Mental-retardation
[ more ] 		0001249
Mental deterioration
Cognitive decline
Cognitive decline, progressive
Intellectual deterioration
Progressive cognitive decline
[ more ] 		0001268
Muscular hypotonia
Low or weak muscle tone
0001252
Ocular albinism
Absent pigmentation in the eye
0001107
Seizure 0001250
Visual loss
Loss of vision
Vision loss
[ more ] 		0000572
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Abnormality of metabolism/homeostasis
Laboratory abnormality
Metabolism abnormality
[ more ] 		0001939
Abnormality of movement
Movement disorder
Unusual movement
[ more ] 		0100022
Developmental regression
Loss of developmental milestones
Mental deterioration in childhood
[ more ] 		0002376
Neurological speech impairment
Speech disorder
Speech impairment
Speech impediment
[ more ] 		0002167
Optic atrophy 0000648
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Ataxia 0001251
Behavioral abnormality
Behavioral changes
Behavioral disorders
Behavioral disturbances
Behavioral problems
Behavioral/psychiatric abnormalities
Behavioural/Psychiatric abnormality
Psychiatric disorders
Psychiatric disturbances
[ more ] 		0000708
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

Making a diagnosis for a genetic or rare disease can often be challenging. Healthcare professionals typically look at a person’s medical history, symptoms, physical exam, and laboratory test results in order to make a diagnosis. The following resources provide information relating to diagnosis and testing for this condition. If you have questions about getting a diagnosis, you should contact a healthcare professional.

Testing Resources

  • The Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) provides information about the genetic tests for this condition. The intended audience for the GTR is health care providers and researchers. Patients and consumers with specific questions about a genetic test should contact a health care provider or a genetics professional.

Related diseases are conditions that have similar signs and symptoms. A health care provider may consider these conditions in the table below when making a diagnosis. Please note that the table may not include all the possible conditions related to this disease.

Conditions with similar signs and symptoms from Orphanet
The differential diagnoses should include other causes of vision loss, dementia and seizures with an appropriate age of onset (typically mitochondrial disorders, inborn errors of metabolism and other lysosomal storage disorders).
Visit the Orphanet disease page for more information.

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Patient Registry

  • A registry supports research by collecting of information about patients that share something in common, such as being diagnosed with Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. The type of data collected can vary from registry to registry and is based on the goals and purpose of that registry. Some registries collect contact information while others collect more detailed medical information. Learn more about registries.

    Registries for Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis:
    Batten Disease Registry
     

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

In-Depth Information

  • GeneReviews provides current, expert-authored, peer-reviewed, full-text articles describing the application of genetic testing to the diagnosis, management, and genetic counseling of patients with specific inherited conditions.
  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

  1. Mole SE, Williams RE. Neuronal Ceroid-Lipofuscinoses. GeneReviews. August 1, 2013; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1428/.
  2. Chang CH. Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses. Medscape Reference. May 4, 2017; https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1178391-overview.