Albinism is a rare disease that develops from a series of alterations in the melanin pigmentation system. In this disease the eyes, hair follicles and skin are affected. The central nervous system can also be affected.
There is not just one variety, but many types of albinism. Additionally, due to the genetic diversity of the entire human population, not all albino people manifest the same symptoms or do so with the same intensity or relevance. The only characteristic that encompasses the different types of albinisms is precisely the lack or reduction of pigment in different parts of the body.
In addition, it is a congenital condition, that is, people are born albino, they do not become albino throughout life. That is why many experts prefer to consider it as an abnormal condition and not as a disease.
Types of albinism
As we have advanced, there are many types of albinism. However, we will focus on the two main types: oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) and ocular albinism (OA). This classification is based on the degree of decrease or absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes.
In the first type, as its name suggests, patients present this decrease or absence of pigmentation in the skin, hair and eyes. As for the second condition, this loss of pigmentation is seen primarily in the eyes.
In turn, these two types can be subdivided into several, depending on the gene that is affected. Oculocutaneous albinism is more common than the other variety, and has four main types, along with other less common and complex forms: Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome and Chedial-Higashi syndrome.
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