Sanfilippo syndrome
an autosomal recessive, lysosomal storage disease caused by an inability of the body to break down heparan sulphate, a complex carbohydrate (see mucopolysaccharidosis). Affected individuals can have severe neurological symptoms, including progressive dementia, aggressive behavior, hyperactivity, seizures, deafness, loss of vision, and an inability to sleep for more than a few hours at a time. Sanfilippo syndrome is divided into four subtypes: A, B, C, and D. The different types have similar signs and symptoms, but Type A is the most severe. Also called mucopolysaccharidosis Type III; Sanfilippo (A, B, C, D). [described in 1963 by Sylvester Sanfilippo (1926–2013), U.S. pediatrician]