What treatments are available for ALD?

First, the only available treatments for ALD are treatments that work best during a short window of time—either before the onset of any signs of the disease, as with Lorenzo’s oil, or once abnormalities have appeared on brain MRI but before actual symptoms – or only minimal symptoms - have developed, as with stem cell transplantation. Genetic testing allows families to identify boys who carry the defective gene early in life, before the disease process begins. They can then pursue treatment with Lorenzo’s oil, and also monitor the child’s brain carefully with regular MRI scans so that they have the opportunity to pursue a transplant as early as possible once lesions begin to appear on the brain.