Fatty acid hydroxylase-associated neurodegeneration

What it is

Fatty acid hydroxylase-associated neurodegeneration (FAHN) is a very rare, autosomal recessive form of neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) characterized by childhood-onset focal dystonia, progressive spastic paraplegia that progresses to tetra paresis, ataxia, dysarthria, intellectual decline, and oculomotor disturbances (optic atrophy), accompanied by iron deposition in the globus pallidus.

Key facts

Prevalence

<1 / 1 000 000

Age of onset

Adolescent, Childhood

Inheritance

Autosomal recessive

Classified as

Disease

Prevalence figures describe populations, not individuals, and are often estimates from a single study. Where the figure is an incidence or a birth prevalence, it says so.

Signs and symptoms

These ranges are how often a sign appears across everyone diagnosed, not a prediction for one person — most people have some of these and not others. Orphanet also records findings that are specifically absent in this disease; those are in the data but not listed here.

Gene

ICD-10 codes

ICD-10 has no distinct code for most rare diseases, so many are filed under the nearest available one. A shared code identifies the group, not this disease — the ORPHAcode above is what identifies it.

Related health topics

Reached through the ICD-10 categories this disease is filed under, so these describe the broader group rather than this disease specifically.

Cross-references