Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes
Overview
Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathy, Lactic Acidosis, and Stroke-like episodes (MELAS) affects many of the body's systems, particularly the brain and nervous system (encephalo-) and muscles (myopathy). Symptoms of this disorder typically appear in childhood and may include muscle weakness and pain, recurrent headaches, loss of appetite, vomiting, and seizures. Most affected individuals experience stroke-like episodes beginning before age 40. People with MELAS can also have a buildup of lactic acid in their bodies that can lead to vomiting, abdominal pain, fatigue, muscle weakness, and difficulty breathing. The genes associated with MELAS are contained in mitochondrial DNA. MELAS is inherited from the mother because only females pass mitochondrial DNA to their children. In some cases, MELAS results from a new mutation that was not inherited from a person's mother.[1]
References
- Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes. Genetics Home Reference. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/mitochondrial-encephalomyopathy-lactic-acidosis-and-stroke-like-episodes. Accessed October 17, 2011.
Your Questions Answered
by the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center2 question(s) from the public on Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes have been answered. See questions and answers. You can also submit a new question.
On this page
General Information
- Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains information on Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes. Click on the link to go to GHR and review the information.
- Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. Click on the link to view this information. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
- The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is a federation of more than 130 nonprofit voluntary health organizations serving people with rare disorders. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
- Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge. Click on the link to read information on this topic.
- PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.
- The The Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database contains genetics resources that discuss Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes. Click on the link to go to OMIM and review these resources.