Adrenoleukodystrophy is a genetic disease that causes the buildup of fatty acids in the body, particularly those involved in the production of myelin, the cells of the adrenal cortex and the cells that produce testosterone in the testicles. It presents most commonly in males, affecting about one in every 20,000 males. The disease usually shows no symptoms in early childhood, but in older children, the most severe form of the condition causes rapid degeneration of neurological function leading to a vegetative state. In other cases, it presents with symptoms based on the organ most affected by the fatty acid buildup.