Wolfram syndrome, also called DIDMOAD (diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, and deafness), is a rare autosomal-recessive genetic disorder that causes childhood-onset diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, and deafness as well as various other possible disorders including neurodegeneration. Symptoms can start to appear as early as childhood to adult years (2-65 years old). There is a 25% recurrence risk in children.[2][3][4][5][6]
It was first described in four siblings in 1938 by Dr. Don J. Wolfram, M.D. In 1995, diagnostic criteria were created based on the profiles of 45 patients.[2] The disease affects the central nervous system (especially the brainstem). There are two subtypes – Wolfram Syndrome Type 1 (WFS1) and Wolfram Syndrome Type 2 (WFS2), that are distinguished by their causative gene.
Less than 5,000 people in the US have this disease, with WFS1 being more common than WFS2.[7]