Batten disease: past, present, and future.

The name Batten disease (or neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis) is used to unify the spectrum of clinical and pathological conditions covered by the names infantile, late infantile, juvenile, and adult variants with their respective eponyms. The past was largely devoted to clinical diagnosis. The present is devoted to specific diagnostic tests. The future will be devoted to prevention and treatment. Treatment may consist of specific drug treatment, enzyme replacement, or gene replacement. Early diagnosis is important in order to provide genetic counseling and to establish family support for those patients who have a protracted, progressive disabling and ultimate fatal course.