Mitochondrial Diseases

Mitochondrial diseases affect nearly every part of the human body including the heart, respiratory system, nervous system and skeletal muscles. These conditions arise from dysfunctions in small compartments inside cells.

Defining These Diseases

Mitochondrial diseases are particularly insidious because they develop in small compartments within cells. These compartments are mitochondria, and they exist in all types of cells - excluding red blood cells.

• The tiny compartments are responsible for delivering energy that helps the body grow and thrive.
  
• When the mitochondria break down, the cell is unable to function properly.
  
• It fails to produce energy and it begins to deteriorate.
  
• Eventually the cell can die.

The dysfunction of one cell can spread to another and then another. As the conditions spreads, the entire system that houses the cells begins to fail. This has serious ramifications on the person's physical state, and it interferes with quality of life.

Affected Systems

The mitochondrial disorder can exist in a number of different systems of the human body. The body will show symptoms in the affected system if the disease progresses.

The condition affects the three following systems the worst:

1. the brain, specifically the cerebrum
   
2. the skeletal muscular system
   
3. the nervous system

These three systems are problematic because they are crucial to proper functioning. They also require a lot of energy from their cells. When the mitochondria fail to provide the necessary energy, the system begins to collapse.

Other systems that can be affected by disease in the mitochondria include:

• liver
• heart
• kidney
• respiratory system
• endocrine system

Symptoms

The symptoms vary according to the specific system that is affected. Evidence of a mitochondrial illness is weak because there is currently no concrete way to identify it. There may be a combination of chronic physical problems.

A person who has a mitochondrial dysfunction in the muscular system may exhibit telltale signs. The symptoms can range from simple exercise intolerance to complete loss of muscle control.

Physicians might consider mitochondrial dysfunction if conditions are unexplainable and chronic. The individual could have regular flare-ups and setbacks. Recurrent infections are also signs of this disorder.

The symptoms are so vast and dependent on the individual's DNA, that the disorder is difficult to detect. The person might have the following indicators:

• developmental delays
• seizure
• movement disorders
• hearing problems
• cardiac defects
• stroke
• diabetes
• visual problems

This list is not comprehensive. The mutation of cells generates different symptoms in different people. Mitochondrial diseases are related to a variety of conditions including autism and pervasive developmental disorders.

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