Diseases

MELAS Syndrome

A mitochondrial disorder characterized by focal or generalized seizures, episodes of transient or persistent neurologic dysfunction resembling strokes, and ragged-red fibers on muscle biopsy. Affected individuals tend to be normal at birth through early childhood, then experience growth failure, episodic vomiting, and recurrent cerebral insults resulting in visual loss and hemiparesis. The cortical lesions tend to occur in the parietal and occipital lobes and are not associated with vascular occlusion. VASCULAR HEADACHE is frequently associated and the disorder tends to be familial. (From Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1992, Ch56, p117)

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

A mitochondrial disorder characterized by focal or generalized seizures, episodes of transient or persistent neurologic dysfunction resembling strokes, and ragged-red fibers on muscle biopsy. Affected individuals tend to be normal at birth through early childhood, then experience growth failure, episodic vomiting, and recurrent cerebral insults resulting in visual loss and hemiparesis. The cortical lesions tend to occur in the parietal and occipital lobes and are not associated with vascular occlusion. VASCULAR HEADACHE is frequently associated and the disorder tends to be familial. (From Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1992, Ch56, p117)

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

6 entry terms
  • MELAS
  • Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathy, Lactic Acidosis, and Stroke-Like Episodes
  • Mitochondrial Myopathy, Encephalopathy, Lactic Acidosis, And Stroke-Like Episodes
  • Mitochondrial Myopathy, Lactic Acidosis, Stroke-Like Episode
  • Myopathy, Mitochondrial-Encephalopathy-Lactic Acidosis-Stroke
  • Syndrome, MELAS

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

35 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemically induced, classification, complications, congenital, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, embryology, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, urine, veterinary, virology.

MeSH Record

History Note

1993

MeSH Record

Previous Indexing

  • Acidosis (1985-1986)
  • Acidosis, Lactic (1987-1992)
  • Brain Diseases (1985-1987)
  • Brain Diseases, Metabolic (1987-1992)
  • Cerebrovascular Disorders (1987-1992)
  • Lactates (1985-1986)
  • Mitochondria, Muscle (1984-1992)
  • Neuromuscular Diseases (1987-1992)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. C05w.651w.460w.620w.520w
  2. C10w.228w.140w.163.100.535w
  3. C10w.228w.140w.300w.275.500w
  4. C10w.668w.491w.500w.500w.500w
  5. C14w.907w.253w.329.500w
  6. C16w.320w.565w.189.535w
  7. C18.452w.132.100.535w
  8. C18.452w.648w.189.535w
  9. C18.452w.660w.560w.620w.520w

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. MELAS Syndrome. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D017241. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D017241
  2. MELAS Syndrome. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MELAS_syndrome
  3. MELAS Syndrome. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2666433