Technical name for the Mito Brain Fog?

May 16, 2006

Hello all, Does anyone know the technical name and defintion for the

Mito. " Brain Fog " ? This excert from the MDA's site is the only thing

I can find with the only " cure " being Lactulose for high ammonia

levels. Does anyone have any other informaion about this? Thanks,

gunner71 from Mito Chat

http://www.mdausa.org/publications/Quest/q96affects-brain.cfm

Mitochondrial Diseases: Damage to the Brain

Of all the neuromuscular diseases covered in MDA's program, those

that have to do with the mitochondria — the tiny energy-producing

units tucked inside human and animal cells — are perhaps the most

mysterious, confusing and challenging for physicians and families.

All cells and the tissues in which they're located require energy

to function, but some tissues — such as the brain and muscles —

require more energy than others. That's probably why defects in

mitochondrial function hit these areas hard.

There are several types of mitochondrial diseases, and they all

have different characteristics. What's even more confusing is that

even when a mitochondrial disease runs in a family, various family

members can have different symptoms or degrees of severity, even

though their mitochondrial flaw may be the same.

Neuromuscular disease specialist Tim at Arizona Health

Sciences Center in Tucson says it isn't so much the mitochondrial

defect itself that makes the difference in cognitive functioning.

Instead, as with the congenital muscular dystrophies, it's the

presence or absence of severe seizures, as well as two other aspects

of mitochondrial disease — strokes and high levels of lactic acid in

the blood.

" Seizures are a major factor, " says. " For kids with

underlying mitochondrial changes, you have to worry, because

seizures can damage things even worse. "

Fortunately, says, seizures can often be adequately

controlled with medication. But these medications can themselves

cause some side effects, which can include sleepiness, confusion,

memory problems and trouble with vision. The benefits and side

effects have to be carefully weighed by the doctor and parents and

the dose meticulously monitored.

Strokes or " strokelike episodes " occur in some children with

mitochondrial diseases. A " stroke " is the term for an interruption

of blood supply to the brain, with resulting brain damage, either

temporary or permanent. Strokes can be caused by either abnormal

bleeding in the brain or an obstruction to blood flow in the brain.

" There are probably changes in the brain's blood vessels, "

says. " We know that mitochondrial dysfunction can affect blood

vessels. " (Other experts say strokelike episodes may sometimes be

seizure-related.) Unfortunately, there's little that can be done to

prevent or control these episodes.

When mitochondria don't produce energy for cells in the usual

way, energy-producing pathways are altered, leading ultimately to

the buildup of lactic acid. When enough of this chemical gets into

the blood, it changes the blood's acidity level, which leads to a

host of unwelcome changes in body chemistry. This lactic acidosis

isn't good for the brain, causing a variety of cognitive symptoms.

" The body maintains a very strict level of acids and bases, "

says. " Any time that level is affected, it can affect

thinking. "

says a medication called lactulose (brand names Constilac,

Chronulac and others) can sometimes be used effectively to draw off

some of the acid into the intestines, but that the best approach may

be to try to prevent lactic acid buildup from occurring in the first

place.

Making sure the child's respiratory function is adequate,

preventing or promptly treating infections, and maintaining good

nutrition can all help prevent lactic acidosis, says.

" When kids are challenged with something like an infection, that

may make it more difficult for them to stay in [metabolic] balance, "

he says. Parents have to be on the lookout for signs of infection

and for cognitive symptoms that suggest lactic acid may be building

up. Diminished concentration, diminished talking, confusion and

irritability are among those symptoms.

The brain's vision-processing cells, as well as the retina at the

back of the eye and the muscles that control eye movements, can all

be affected in mitochon-drial diseases, so vision can be a problem.

Vision therapy may be helpful, as can assistive technology such

as adapted computer screens and computer-operating devices.

Hearing can also be affected, and some children need hearing aids

and/or devices to help them communicate.

Children with mitochondrial diseases and their families often

need referrals to hearing and speech specialists, vision

specialists, respiratory doctors and therapists, educational

specialists, and social workers or counselors. (Ask about these

specialists at your MDA clinic and through the public school system

in your area.)

May 16, 2006

As this article points out, there are a number of different underlying

metabolic causes for what mito patients sometimes refer to as " mito fog. "

Therefore, there is no one technical name that would apply to all cases of

" mito fog. " Just a few possible causes: seizures, strokes, acid base

imbalance, high ammonia, low glucose, etc. In other words, any condition

that alters brain function or brain metabolism would have the potential for

altering cognitive function, which is probably what most patients mean when

they say they have " mito fog. " Though some patients may be referring

primarily to memory impairment (which is different from cognitive

impairment), and which may have a number of different causes too. And some

patients may have both memory and cognitive impairment. For me, serious