North American Mitochondrial Disease Consortium Patient Registry and Biorepository (NAMDC)

Mitochondrial diseases comprise a group of relatively rare (\~1 in 5000 adults) but very serious genetic disorders. Mitochondria are often called the "powerhouses of the cell" because they provide the energy our cells need to live. Mitochondria have their own DNA (mtDNA), but they also rely on DNA from the nucleus (nDNA). Mitochondrial diseases are caused by mutations in either mitochondrial or nuclear DNA that result in poorly functioning mitochondria. This can cause a variety of symptoms including muscle weakness, seizures, mental retardation, dementia, hearing loss, blindness, strokes, diab…