Wilson's disease

views updated

Wilson's disease (wil-sŏnz) n. an inborn defect of copper metabolism in which there is a deficiency of caeruloplasmin (which normally forms a nontoxic complex with copper). The free copper may be deposited in the liver, causing jaundice and cirrhosis, or in the brain, causing mental retardation and symptoms resembling parkinsonism. Medical name: hepatolenticular degeneration. [ S. A. K. Wilson (1878–1936), British neurologist]

About this article

Wilson's disease

Updated About encyclopedia.com content Print Article