Author Archives: Magdalena Kegel

Scientists Seek Better Understanding of Neurodegeneration by Looking at Mitochondrial Interaction

Researchers have discovered a key piece of information that may advance knowledge of how interactions between mitochondria and other structures contribute to neurodegeneration. A study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry identified specific proteins that are required for interactions between mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which is responsible…

Both Heart and Muscle Factors Limit Exercise Capacity in Mitochondrial Disease

Reduced exercise capacity in people with mitochondrial diseases is linked to both a heart that works inefficiently and muscles that inadequately extract oxygen, according to a study that pinned down the physiological contributions that limit a patient’s ability to perform physical activity. These mechanisms differ between patients with mitochondrial diseases and those…

Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Tecfidera Could Also Help Mitochondrial Disease, Friedreich’s Ataxia Patients, Study Finds

Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate), an oral drug used to treat multiple sclerosis (MS), could also benefit mitochondrial disease patients as well as those with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), concludes two studies from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. The first study, “Dimethyl fumarate mediates Nrf2-dependent mitochondrial biogenesis in mice and…