What is (are) Kufs disease ?
Kufs disease is a condition that primarily affects the nervous system, causing problems with movement and intellectual function that worsen over time. The signs and symptoms of Kufs disease typically appear around age 30, but they can develop anytime between adolescence and late adulthood.  Two types of Kufs disease have been described: type A and type B. The two types are differentiated by their genetic cause, pattern of inheritance, and certain signs and symptoms. Type A is characterized by a combination of seizures and uncontrollable muscle jerks (myoclonic epilepsy), a decline in intellectual function (dementia), impaired muscle coordination (ataxia), involuntary movements such as tremors or tics, and speech difficulties (dysarthria). Kufs disease type B shares many features with type A, but it is distinguished by changes in personality and is not associated with myoclonic epilepsy or dysarthria.  The signs and symptoms of Kufs disease worsen over time, and affected individuals usually survive about 15 years after the disorder begins.  Kufs disease is one of a group of disorders known as neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs), which are also known as Batten disease. These disorders affect the nervous system and typically cause progressive problems with vision, movement, and thinking ability. Kufs disease, however, does not affect vision. The different types of NCLs are distinguished by the age at which signs and symptoms first appear.