Author Archives: Emily Malcolm, PhD

Genetic testing is a tool that doctors use to confirm a diagnosis of mitochondrial disease. If you or your doctor thinks you or a family member may have mitochondrial disease, they may recommend that you, as well as other family members, be tested. What is genetic testing? Genetic testing…

If you or a family member have mitochondrial disease, you may benefit from genetic counseling. What is genetic counseling? Genetic counseling gives you information about your risks of inheriting or transmitting a genetic disease. A genetic counselor will take your personal and family medical history. If you’ve already…

Being diagnosed with a genetic condition like mitochondrial disease can be challenging and frightening, and you may be wondering whether your disease will affect your lifespan. Does mitochondrial disease affect lifespan? The effect mitochondrial disease will have on a patient’s lifespan is difficult to predict. There are many…

Mitochondria are the “powerhouses” of a cell, producing most of the energy that cells need to function. In mitochondrial disease, of which there are many types, these cellular compartments cannot function properly. Because almost every cell has mitochondria, mitochondrial disease can affect every system in the body. If you…

Mitochondrial disease is a rare genetic disorder in which mitochondria cannot produce enough energy for a cell to work as it should. What are mitochondria? Mitochondria are small compartments that exist within most types of cells. These compartments have an important job: producing energy for the cell. Without…

Everyone has an “energy baseline” or sweet spot where we have enough energy to do the things we want to do, but having mitochondrial disease means that the body has trouble making energy. Scientists don’t know the exact mechanism of how mitochondrial dysfunction leads to fatigue, a…