Place Your Advertisement Here. All ad revenues support the mission of the Epilepsy Therapy Project.
 

Sign up for our Newsletter!




Place Your Advertisement Here

Take control of your epilepsy and seizures. Seizure management has never been easier.

TAKE CONTROL TODAY

Mitochondrial Disorders

Mitochondria are components of cells that are involved in metabolism and enzyme production. They are the energy factories of our cells. They also contain genetic material. Particular abnormalities in the mitochondrial genes are often associated with epileptic disorders. The metabolic disorders involving the mitochondria affect different parts of the body, including muscle and brain.

Mitochondria are inherited through the mother. Two mitochondrial disorders are often associated with epileptic seizures:

MELAS

One is MELAS: mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis (meaning too much lactic acid in the blood), and strokelike episodes. MELAS can lead to strokelike episodes at a young age (usually before 40), seizures, dementia, headaches, vomiting, unsteadiness, and ill effects from exercise. Persons with MELAS can have both generalized seizures (including myoclonic and tonic-clonic) and partial seizures.

MERRF

The other mitochondrial disorder with epileptic seizures is MERRF: myoclonic epilepsy with ragged red muscle fibers). MERRF is one of the progressive myoclonic epilepsies. It can also be associated with hearing loss, unsteadiness, dementia, and ill effects from exercise. In addition to myoclonic seizures, patients with MERRF often have generalized tonic-clonic seizures that can be controlled with standard medications.

There are other mitochondrial disorders that do not fit clearly into the MELAS or MERRF syndromes but which can cause epilepsy and additional neurologic problems.

Topic Editor: Steven C. Schachter, M.D.
Last Reviewed:12/15/06


This content is user-generated. Content is not monitored nor consistently reviewed by the epilepsy.com Editorial Board. Epilepsy.com therefore cannot guarantee the accuracy of any content edited with the Wiki sections. While epilepsy.com, the Epilepsy Therapy Project, and its partners encourage visitor interaction and publishing within these sections, users should use caution when exploring content, especially as it pertains to health concerns. No content on epilepsy.com is intended to replace the care of a doctor. We encourage you to contact your own health care provider for individual medical advice. We cannot provide second opinions or make specific recommendations regarding therapy, nor does this Wiki content constitute a recommendation for any diagnosis or treatment options.


No members have contributed to this topic yet. Be the first!

Welcome to the Wiki. This space is created for epilepsy.com members to share their own experiences and expertise to help refine and expand the discussion around important topics.

Epilepsy.com Members: If you are a member and wish to be the first to edit this Wiki topic, please make sure to login, then click on the orange "Edit this Wiki" button at the top of this page. Put in your own content about this topic in the Main Body text area and submit the page. Or, learn more about Wikis before you begin.

Register Today: If you are not an epilepsy.com member, register today to get started on this Wiki topic and the many other advantages of being a member.



Place Your Advertisement Here

Title Posted
Epilepsy  
kieran
Why are some muscle twinges unimportant?  
MichaelK
View all Forums

Title Posted
Film on epilepsy  
bcpsmc
Is it safe to function normally again?  
cmunley86
Clobazam  
Baby Sam
The definition of FEAR:  
phylisfjohnson
help needed ASAP  
Mooudii
Awareness of seizure?  
mel239
epilepsy and psychic abilites  
lane
Catamenial Epilepsy: Finally a solution!  
uberzwitter
Best pediatric neurologists in NC?  
Ashleygordon82
I think I just had a seizure??!!??  
msmith1997
View all Forums

Title Page Views
my.epilepsy.com Updates  
epi_help
topamax and weight loss  
alexia mom
kepra  
brian mattingly
Possible cure for absence seizures  
pdl1
How exactly do aura's feel  
WendyBendy
Sexual Side Effects  
George R
MEDICAL ALERT I.D.'s  
picnupthepcs
Over 40 Different Types Of Seizures - Revised  
spiz
electrical shock in head?  
Maggie
Weight Gain and Depakote  
galinda
View all Forums

Title Posted
Advice on DEPAKOTE/ MYOCLONUS  
ds1212
View all Blogs

Title Posted
NOT YELLING, VISUALLY IMPAIRED. POSTICTAL SHOPPING. ANYONE ELSE WITH THIS PROBLEM? TBI AND SHOPPING  
ROCKNROLL
Seizures and medical marijuana  
seizureprone134
being unigue and being hypocrite  
futuer poet
Coming out?  
fashionlove45
RWAY40  
rway40
TOLD MY FRIENDS!!!  
fashionlove45
Feeling  
hross1110
Absence seizures and school  
mgarcia
Life with Epilepsy, and what I go through every day.  
trentonbest
Some people are just complete A-holes....  
arsen77
View all Blogs

Title Page Views
my partial complex seizures  
Zanna1211
Topomax... The Dreaded.........  
Dr Jason
Brain Zaps, tics & twitches  
JudiS
How can you tell if a sleep seizure happens?  
epl_controller
Feeling Sick  
JBJ1984
side effects of phenobarb.  
pksmom
Tegretol XR and ANXIETY meds  
Butterflygrl
TYLENOL, AEDs & SEIZURES  
cmscribbles
Nonepileptic "Events" vs. "Seizures"  
teft
newborn seizure  
Sunny_80
View all Blogs

Title Posted
Years of Searching For a Diagnosis  
capecodmom
View all Stories

Title Posted
Continuing with life  
nastaran
Working my life around having epilepsy  
1505loupylou
The frustration of not knowing exaclty what is wrong...  
cag122
sharon watson  
shazzax6
My first seizure.  
Jayscott
My Epilepsy story  
Mar1tza
Cooper my 3 year old amazing son  
supercooper
I want to get better  
EsmeraldaAguilar
Seizures under control  
panteradee
Dizziness with topiramate/Diamox  
girl4him
View all Stories