How Do You Inherit Metachromatic Leukodystrophy?

Metachromatic leukodystrophy is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. This means that both copies of the disease-causing gene in each cell must have a mutation for an individual to be affected. Individuals inherit two copies of each gene - one copy from each parent.

Is metachromatic leukodystrophy hereditary?

Metachromatic leukodystrophy is an inherited disorder caused by an abnormal (mutated) gene. The condition is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern.

Are all leukodystrophy genetic?

Most leukodystrophies are genetic. Many are inherited (passed down from generation to generation) but some can be sporadic mutations, meaning that a person did not inherit the disease from their parents.