Canine hereditary ceroid lipofuscinosis.

Dogs with an inherited form of ceroid lipofuscinosis are ataxic, blind and demented. During the disease process, they undergo severe cerebrocerebellar atrophy with storage of autofluorescent, lipid peroxide-positive reacting substances whose ultrastructure resembles 'fingerprint' patterns of membranous lamellae. The retina and RPE also undergo pathologic changes. Most important is the inverse relationship between loss of RPE melanin and increased deposition of ceroid. These pathological events in brain and eye lead to altered EEG, ERG and VEP activity. This inbred strain of English setters fulfills essentially all the criteria as a model for the human disease and will prove useful in the future for therapeutic trials.