Wikipedia's first sentence called it “rare”. Today it says “rare and fatal autosomal recessive degenerative disease that causes progressive damage to nerve cells and loss”.
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The opening as it read in 2005
Canavan disease , also known as Van Bogaert-Bertrand disease is a rare, inherited, neurological disorder characterized by spongy degeneration of the brain (in which the white matter is replaced by microscopic fluid-filled spaces). It was first described by Myrtelle Canavan in 1931 . Canavan disease is one of a group of genetic disorders called the leukodystrophies that affect growth of the myelin sheath of the nerve fibers in the brain. Although Canavan disease may occur in any ethnic group, it affects persons of Eastern European Jewish ancestry more frequently. About 1/40 individuals of Eastern European ( Ashkenazi ) Jewish ancestry are carriers, about 1:10,000. Canavan disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion. Both parents must be carriers in order to have an affected child. If both parents are carriers, there is a 25% chance to have an affected child. Genetic counseling and genetic testing is recommended for families who may be carriers. Canavan disease disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion. Canavan disease is caused by a defective ASPA gene, responsible for the production of the enzyme aspartoacylase . This enzyme breaks down the n-acetyl-asparate acid, which is a toxin. With decreased levels of aspartoacylase comes an increase in n-acetyl-aspartate, which interferes with growth of the myelin sheath of the nerve fibers in the brain. The myelin sheath is the fatty covering surrounding nerve cells that acts as an insulator , and allows for efficient transmission of nerve impulses. Symptoms of Canavan disease, which appear in early infancy and progress rapidly, may include mental retardation , loss of previously acquired motor skills , feeding difficulties, abnormal muscle tone (i.e., floppiness or stiffness), poor head control, and megalocephaly (abnormally enlarged head). Paralysis , blindness , or seizures may also occur. There is no cure for Canavan disease, nor is there a standard course of treatment. Treatment is symptomatic and supportive. The life expectancy of Canavan patients is not known because new treatments have extended their lives beyond earlier projections. Today, Canavan children often survive into their teens and beyond. Until recently, there was absolutely no hope for Canavan children. Paola Leone , Ph.D . and her team are the only researchers in the entire world working directly with Canavan children. Leone and her team have pioneered a brain gene therapy to halt the progression of the disease. Their research offers a glimpse at treating and eventually eradicating similar degenerative diseases of the brain, such as Parkinson's disease , Alzheimer's disease , Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS), and Multiple Sclerosis . Leone and her team are currently at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey , in Camden, New Jersey . The brain gene therapy is conducted at Cooper University Hospital . The procedure involves the insertion of six catheters into the brain that deliver a liquid virus containing 600 billion to 900 billion viral particles. The virus is designed to replace the aspartoacylase enzyme. Children treated with this procedure to date have shown marked improvements, including the growth of myelin with decreased levels of the n-acetyl-aspartate toxin.1
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The opening as it stood in 2010 29 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Medical condition Canavan disease , also called Canavan-Van Bogaert-Bertrand disease , aspartoacylase deficiency or aminoacylase 2 deficiency , is an autosomal recessive degenerative disorder that causes progressive damage to nerve cells in the brain . This disease is one of a group of genetic disorders called leukodystrophies . Leukodystrophies are characterized by degeneration of myelin in the phospholipid layer insulating the axon of a neuron .The gene associated with the disorder is located on human chromosome 17 .PMID 16647192 . : Unknown parameter |month= ignored ( help ) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link )
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The opening as it stood in 2015 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Medical condition Canavan disease , also called Canavan-Van Bogaert-Bertrand disease is an autosomal recessive degenerative disorder that causes progressive damage to nerve cells in the brain , and is one of the most common degenerative cerebral diseases of infancy.It is caused by a deficiency of the enzyme aminoacylase 2 , and is one of a group of genetic diseases referred to as a leukodystrophies .It is characterized by degeneration of myelin in the phospholipid layer insulating the axon of a neuron and is associated with a gene located on human chromosome 17 .PMID 16647192 . : CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link ) Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM): 271900
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 665313151.
The opening as it stood in 2020 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Neurodegenerative disorder; its spectrum varies between severe forms with leukodystrophy, macrocephaly and severe developmental delay, and a very rare mild/juvenile form characterized by mild developmental delay Medical condition Canavan disease is an autosomal recessive degenerative disorder that causes progressive damage to nerve cells in the brain , and is one of the most common degenerative cerebral diseases of infancy. It is caused by a deficiency of the enzyme aminoacylase 2 , and is one of a group of genetic diseases referred to as leukodystrophies . It is characterized by degeneration of myelin in the phospholipid layer insulating the axon of a neuron and is associated with a gene located on human chromosome 17 .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 964625392.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Neurodegenerative disorder Medical condition Canavan disease , or Canavan–Van Bogaert–Bertrand disease , is a rare and fatal autosomal recessive degenerative disease that causes progressive damage to nerve cells and loss of white matter in the brain . It is one of the most common degenerative cerebral diseases of infancy. It is caused by a deficiency of the enzyme aminoacylase 2 , and is one of a group of genetic diseases referred to as leukodystrophies . It is characterized by degeneration of myelin in the phospholipid layer insulating the axon of a neuron and is associated with a gene located on human chromosome 17 . National Center for Biotechnology Information .NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders) .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1177061621.
The opening as it stood in 2025
Neurodegenerative disorder Medical condition Canavan disease , or Canavan–Van Bogaert–Bertrand disease , is a rare and fatal autosomal recessive degenerative disease that causes progressive damage to nerve cells and loss of white matter in the brain . It is one of the most common degenerative cerebral diseases of infancy. It is caused by a deficiency of the enzyme aspartoacylase , and is one of a group of genetic diseases referred to as leukodystrophies . It is characterized by degeneration of myelin in the phospholipid layer insulating the axon of a neuron and is associated with a gene located on human chromosome 17 . National Center for Biotechnology Information . NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders) .
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Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “rare”. Today it says “rare and fatal autosomal recessive degenerative disease that causes progressive damage to nerve cells and loss”. Read the current article and compare.
2005
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2025
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What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since 2005, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
rare
Now
rare and fatal autosomal recessive degenerative disease that causes progressive damage to nerve cells and loss
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