Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis 10 (CLN10 disease) is a type of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL), a group of severe diseases that affect the nervous system. Signs and symptoms of CLN10 usually appear soon after birth. They may include muscle stiffness, respiratory failure, and seizures that last several minutes (status epilepticus). Infants with CLN10 disease have a small brain and small head (microcephaly). They also have problems controlling their movements. The areas of the brain involved in thinking and emotions are also severely affected. Sadly, infants with CLN10 disease often do not survive longer than hours or weeks after birth.[14051]
In some cases, people with CLN10 disease do not develop symptoms until later in infancy, childhood, or adulthood.[14051][14052] Symptoms in these cases may be more gradual and include ataxia, loss of speech and vision, and problems with memory and thinking (cognitive impairment). The lifespan of people diagnosed after early infancy is also shortened, but varies based on when their symptoms began.[14051]
CLN10 disease is caused by changes (mutations) in the CTSD gene and inheritance is autosomal recessive.[14051][9569] If the disease-causing genetic change completely prevents the CLN10 protein (cathepsin D) from being made, the infant will be born with the severe type. If however, some working CLN2 protein is made, the person will develop either the late infantile, juvenile, or adult type. At this time, there are no effective treatment options for CLN10 disease. Therefore, therapy is aimed at easing symptoms and improving quality of life (palliative care).[14052]
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.[9561]
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