The disease is inherited as an autosomal recessive disorder and can be effectively treated by limiting phenylalanine in the diet.

infants who were affected by PKU had already often suffered irreversible brain damage. Autosomal dominant single-gene diseases occur in individuals who have a single mutant copy of the disease ...

Carriers of this autosomal recessive condition have elevated phenylalanine ... Physicians have observed that women who are PKU carriers have a much lower-thanÐaverage incidence of miscarriage.