Definition:
Leigh disease, or Subacute Necrotizing Encephalomyelopathy (SNEM), is a rare disorder affecting the central nervous system.
Treatment:
At present there is no cure for the Leigh disease. A high-fat, low carbohydrate diet is sometimes recommended to improve the condition of the mitochondria in the cells, but it doesn't always guarantee recovery from the disease.
Symptoms and Signs:
Symptoms of the disease include the inability of the person to control body movements, loss of appetite, irritability, seizures and vomiting.
Causes:
Leigh disease is an inherited illness that affects babies between three months and two years of age. It is caused by a mutation in the mitochondrial DNA that degrades motor skills and may cause eventual death.
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