Individuals with Werner syndrome age rapidly following puberty, so that by the time they reach age 40 they often appear as though they are many decades older. Patients with Werner sydrome also exhibit genomic instability, hypogonadism, and various age-associated disorders. These age-related disorders include cancer, heart disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, and cataracts. However, not all characteristics of old-age are present in Werner patients; for instance, senility is not seen in individuals with Werner syndrome. The average age at death of Werner patients is 47, usually as a result of cancer or heart disease.
Werner syndrome is an exceedingly rare disorder, with some estimates suggesting that it afflicts approximately 1 in 1,000,000 individuals worldwide. Some populations do seem more suceptible to Werner syndrome, however, including individuals of Japanese decent.
In 1996 the gene responsible for Werner syndrome was identified (and named WRN) and found to be a member of the RecQ family of helicases. Other members of this family include the genes responsible for Bloom syndrome, and a subset of Rothmund-Thomson patients.
Research into the biological role of the WRN protein is ongoing, but current evidence strongly suggests a role for WRN in the resolution of Holliday junctions. Roles in non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and the restoration of stalled replication forks have also been suggested.
Werner syndrome is named for Otto Werner, a German student who described the syndrome as part of his doctoral thesis in the early 1900's.