Some children born with mitochondrial disease do not show symptoms until adulthood when they become disabled and die. Many diseases of aging, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, cancer, diabetes and heart disease are thought to involve mitochondrial defects. Research and treatment for mitochondrial disease is an emerging field in medicine. Although scientists realized in 1963 that mitochondria have their own DNA, it wasn't until 1988 that the first mitochondrial DNA disorders were identified. Researchers now know there are more than 40 types of mitochondrial disease.
Mitochondrial disease is incurable and there are few treatments.
Among the leading treatment and research centers in North America are the UCSD Mitochondrial and Metabolic Disease Center, Columbia University in New York, Emory University in Atlanta, Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, Children's Hospital in Philadelphia and the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. During the conference, these physicians and researchers will finalize an aggressive battle plan to alleviate problems ranging from coding to diagnostic standards and guidelines for new clinical trials. The current estimates are based on studies done in Finland, the Netherlands and Australia. Naviaux is a member of an oversight committee that is developing a national epidemiological study to provide more accurate U.S. data. Naviaux notes that accurate ICD codes would provide realistic disease statistics and help in obtaining research funding from organizations such as the National Institutes of Health.