Any person that has the syndrome have different set of disorders. Permanent blindness, deafness and type 2 diabetes may occur. Liver and kidney failure can progressively get worse. The life expectancy is usually reduced and the patients rarely live past 50 years old. Research
The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, USA with the University of Southampton, UK isolated the single gene (ALMS1) responsible for Alström syndrome.Research was conducted in 2014 on Alström syndrome patients regarding degeneration and plasticity of the optic pathway. The functional and structural changes have been investigated on the optic pathway in Alström syndrome by using magnetic resonance imaging to provide better insight on the underlying pathogenic mechanisms. Eleven patients with the syndrome (mean age of 23 years, 5 females, 6 males) underwent a brain MRI. The protocol also included conventional sequences, resting-state functional MRI and diffusion tensor imaging. Results found that patients with Alström syndrome had occipital regions with decreased white matter volume as well as decreased gray matter volume sparing the occipital poles. The diffused fractional anisotropy decreased and the radial diffusivity increased while mean and axial diffusivities were normal. Lastly, the reduced connectivity in the medial visual network was strikingly sparing the occipital poles. The conclusion of the research was that the protean occipital brain changes in patients with Alström syndrome. They are likely to reflect coexistence of diffuse primary myelin derangement, anterograde trans-synaptic degeneration and complex cortical reorganization that affect the posterior and anterior visual cortex. References
Further reading
Marshall JD, Beck S, Maffei P, Naggert JK (2007). "Alström syndrome". Eur.
In the ear aims for mild to severe hearing loss. Lastly, the canal device is aimed for mild to moderately severe hearing loss. Patients that have severe hearing loss may benefit from a cochlear implant. Diet: an appropriate and healthy diet is necessary for individuals with Alström syndrome because it could potentially decreases chances of obesity or diabetes. Occupational therapy: the therapist helps the child learn skills to help him or her perform basic daily tasks like eating, getting dressed and communicating with others. Physical Activity: exercising reduces chances of being obese and helping control blood sugar levels. Dialysis: helps restore filtering function. With hemodialysis, a patients blood circulates into an external filter and clean. The filtered blood is then returned into the body. With peritoneal dialysis, fluid containing dextrose is introduced into the abdomen by a tube. The solution then absorbs the wastes into the body and is then removed. Transplantation: patients that endure a kidney failure may undergo a kidney transplantation. Surgery: if the patient endures severe scoliosis or kyphosis, surgery may be required. Medication
Antibiotics: patients with lung problems will be prescribed antibiotics because they are more prone to infections like bronchitis. Oral diabetes medications: are taken by mouth to treat diabetes. Can be taken combined into a single pill, which may be more effective and convenient for people with diabetes. It is usually taken once or twice daily before meals. Some of these medications includes:
Meglitinides (repaglinide and nateglinide): taken to stimulate the cells found in the pancreas to release insulin.