Very-late-onset adrenoleukodystrophy: possible precipitation of demyelination by cerebral contusion.

We report the clinical history, neuroradiology, and autopsy findings in a patient with very late onset, at age 57, of adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) presenting with dementia, hemianopia, and gait apraxia. Open brain biopsy, elevated plasma very-long-chain fatty acids, and autopsy confirmed the diagnosis of ALD. Demyelinative lesions were most extensive at the site of a recent cerebral contusion. CNS trauma may have precipitated or accelerated demyelination in this patient carrying the ALD gene.