A patient with adrenoleukodystrophy and his mother, a carrier, showed an elevated ratio of very long-chain fatty acids to long-chain fatty acids and decreased beta-galactosidase activity. Other lysosomal enzyme activities were normal except for the borderline level of arylsulfatase-A activity. However, the father and other patients with variant forms of adrenoleukodystrophy showed normal beta-galactosidase and other lysosomal enzyme activities.