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Mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalopathy disease

Mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalopathy (MNGIE) disease is a condition that affects several parts of the body, particularly the digestive system and nervous system. The major features of MNGIE disease can appear anytime from infancy to adulthood, but signs and symptoms most often begin by age 20. The medical problems associated with this disorder worsen over time.

Description

Mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalopathy (MNGIE) disease is a condition that affects several parts of the body, particularly the digestive system and nervous system. The major features of MNGIE disease can appear anytime from infancy to adulthood, but signs and symptoms most often begin by age 20. The medical problems associated with this disorder worsen over time.

Almost all people with MNGIE disease have a condition known as gastrointestinal dysmotility, in which the muscles and nerves of the digestive system do not move food through the digestive tract efficiently. The resulting digestive problems include feelings of fullness (satiety) after eating only a small amount, trouble swallowing (dysphagia), nausea and vomiting after eating, episodes of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and intestinal blockage. These gastrointestinal problems lead to extreme weight loss and reduced muscle mass (cachexia).

MNGIE disease is also characterised by abnormalities of the nervous system, although these tend to be milder than the gastrointestinal problems. Affected individuals experience tingling, numbness, and weakness in their limbs (peripheral neuropathy), particularly in the hands and feet. Additional neurological signs and symptoms can include droopy eyelids (ptosis), weakness of the muscles that control eye movement (ophthalmoplegia), and hearing loss. Leukoencephalopathy, which is the deterioration of a type of brain tissue known as white matter, is a hallmark of MNGIE disease. These changes in the brain can be seen with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), though they usually do not cause symptoms in people with this disorder.

Inheritance patterns

The source lists the following possible inheritance patterns: Autosomal recessive. More than one pattern can apply in different cases.

Other names

MEPOP

Mitochondrial myopathy with sensorimotor polyneuropathy, ophthalmoplegia, and pseudo-obstruction

Mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalopathy syndrome

MNGIE disease

MNGIE syndrome

Myoneurogastrointestinal encephalopathy syndrome

Oculogastrointestinal muscular dystrophy

OGIMD

POLIP

Polyneuropathy, ophthalmoplegia, leukoencephalopathy, and intestinal pseudo-obstruction

Thymidine phosphorylase deficiency

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Further reading and references

Article history

The information on this page is written and peer reviewed by qualified clinicians.
  • 20 Sept 2023 | Latest version
  • 1 Sept 2023 | Originally published

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