title: Advances in the Treatment of MELAS Syndrome: Could Cognitive Rehabilitation Have a Role?
abstract: Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and strokelike episodes syndrome (MELAS) is a rare inherited mitochondrial disorder, commonly due to the m.3243A>G mutation, which typically presents with seizures, headaches, and acute neurological stroke-mimicking deficits. At onset, there is often no general intellectual deterioration in these patients, although specific cognitive deficits in peculiar language domains, visual construction, attention, abstraction, or flexibility may be present. To date, there is no evidence for an effective treatment in individuals with MELAS. Herein, we describe the case of young woman affected by MELAS who underwent an intensive cognitive training by means of the following methods: (a) traditional cognitive training, (b) computerized cognitive training (CCT), and (c) CCT plus a low-intensity aerobic motor exercise. We compared her cognitive and psychological profile at baseline (T0) and at the end of each training (i.e., (Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3 [T3]) using a proper psychometric battery, and we found a greater improvement at T3. Our findings support the idea that the combined CCT with motor training could represent a valuable therapeutic opportunity in MELAS.
authors.affiliation: a Robotic and Behavioral Neurorehabilitation Laboratory, IRCCS Centro Neurolesi , Messina , Italy.
authors.forename: Rosaria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.affiliation: a Robotic and Behavioral Neurorehabilitation Laboratory, IRCCS Centro Neurolesi , Messina , Italy.
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: a Robotic and Behavioral Neurorehabilitation Laboratory, IRCCS Centro Neurolesi , Messina , Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.affiliation: a Robotic and Behavioral Neurorehabilitation Laboratory, IRCCS Centro Neurolesi , Messina , Italy.
authors.forename: Letteria
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spadaro
authors.affiliation: a Robotic and Behavioral Neurorehabilitation Laboratory, IRCCS Centro Neurolesi , Messina , Italy.
authors.forename: Cettina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cicero
authors.affiliation: a Robotic and Behavioral Neurorehabilitation Laboratory, IRCCS Centro Neurolesi , Messina , Italy.
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naro
authors.affiliation: a Robotic and Behavioral Neurorehabilitation Laboratory, IRCCS Centro Neurolesi , Messina , Italy.
authors.forename: Placido
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bramanti
authors.affiliation: b Robotic and Behavioral Neurorehabilitation Laboratory , IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo" , Messina , Italy.
authors.forename: Rocco Salvatore
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Calabrò
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017241:MELAS Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
keywords: MELAS; aerobic exercise; computerized cognitive rehabilitation; neuropsychological deficit