Neurofibromatosis has been classified into three distinct types; NF1, NF2 and Schwannomatosis. They are caused by different genes, located on different chromosomes.
The Neurofibromatoses are genetically-determined disorders which affect more than 100,000 Americans
NF is more prevalent than Cystic Fibrosis, hereditary Muscular Dystrophy, Huntington's Disease and Tay Sachs combined.
NF1 is not a rare disorder, it is the most common neurological disorder caused by a single gene.
NF1 is the more common form of NF, occurring in 1:3,000 births throughout the world.
Approximately 115 babies around the world are born with NF1 each day.
A person with NF has a 50-50 chance of passing NF to their child.
All forms of NF are autosomal dominant genetic disorders. This means that the disorder can be inherited from a parent who has NF or may be the result of a new or "spontaneous mutation" in the sperm or egg cell.
The type of NF inherited by a child is always the same as that of the affected parent, although the severity of the manifestations may differ from person to person within a family.
NF is an equal opportunity disorder.It affects both sexes equally and has no particular racial, geographic or ethnic distribution. NF can appear in any family.
While most cases of NF1 are mild to moderate, NF1 can lead to disfigurement; blindness; skeletal abnormalities; dermal, brain and spinal tumors, loss of limbs, malignancies, socioeconomic burdens, and learning disabilities.
Learning disabilities are five times more common in the NF1 population than in the general population.
In NF2, the hallmark of the condition is the development of tumors that grow on the eighth cranial nerve (acoustic nerve) in both ears, commonly causing deafness and severe balance problems.
NF brings an increased risk of other types of nervous system tumors as well.
