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 7


Other Names:
CLN7; CLN7 disease, late infantile ; CLN7 disease
Categories:
This disease is grouped under:
Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis 7 (CLN7-NCL) is a rare condition that affects the nervous system. Signs and symptoms of the condition generally develop in early childhood (average age 5 years) and may include loss of muscle coordination (ataxia), seizures that do not respond to medications, muscle twitches (myoclonus), visual impairment, and developmental regression (the loss of previously acquired skills). CLN7-NCL is caused by changes (mutations) in the MFSD8 gene and is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. Treatment options are limited to therapies that can help relieve some of the symptoms.[1][2]
Last updated: 9/2/2015

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
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Ataxia 0001251
Autosomal recessive inheritance 0000007
Blindness 0000618
Cerebellar atrophy
Degeneration of cerebellum
0001272
Cerebral atrophy
Degeneration of cerebrum
0002059
Delayed speech and language development
Deficiency of speech development
Delayed language development
Delayed speech
Delayed speech acquisition
Delayed speech development
Impaired speech and language development
Impaired speech development
Language delay
Language delayed
Language development deficit
Late-onset speech development
Poor language development
Speech and language delay
Speech and language difficulties
Speech delay
[ more ] 		0000750
EEG abnormality 0002353
Generalized myoclonic seizure 0002123
Global developmental delay 0001263
Juvenile onset
Signs and symptoms begin before 15 years of age
0003621
Mental deterioration
Cognitive decline
Cognitive decline, progressive
Intellectual deterioration
Progressive cognitive decline
[ more ] 		0001268
Neurodegeneration
Ongoing loss of nerve cells
0002180
Optic atrophy 0000648
Pigmentary retinopathy 0000580
Rapidly progressive
Worsening quickly
0003678
Retinopathy
Noninflammatory retina disease
0000488
Sleep disturbance
Difficulty sleeping
Trouble sleeping
[ more ] 		0002360
Visual loss
Loss of vision
Vision loss
[ more ] 		0000572
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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.
The current treatment for neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis is symptomatic and supportive.[1][2] Seizures, anxiety, sleep disorders, and spasticity may be treated with benzodiazepines. Trihexyphenydil may help improve dystonia, Parkinsonian symptoms, and sialorrhea. Individuals who have difficulty swallowing may benefit from the placement of a gastric (G) tube. Certain medications (carbamazepine, phenytoin, lamotrigine) should be avoided as they can exacerbate symptoms of the condition.[1]

Future treatments may involve stem cell transplantation, enzyme replacement, gene therapy, and/or immune therapy.[1][2]
Last updated: 4/27/2016

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources

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.

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 7. 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 7:
    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

  • Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains information on Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis 7. This website is maintained by the National Library of Medicine.
  • MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
  • The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) (NINDS) collects and disseminates research information related to neurological disorders. Click on the link to view information on this topic.

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.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • 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 7. 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.