Epilepsy: Mitochondrial connections to the 'Sacred' disease.

Over 65 million people suffer from recurrent, unprovoked seizures. The lack of validated biomarkers specific for myriad forms of epilepsy makes diagnosis challenging. Diagnosis and monitoring of childhood epilepsy add to the need for non-invasive biomarkers, especially when evaluating antiseizure medications.

Treatment and prevention of pathological mitochondrial dysfunction in retinal degeneration and in photoreceptor injury.

Pathological deterioration of mitochondrial function is increasingly linked with multiple degenerative illnesses as a mediator of a wide range of neurologic and age-related chronic diseases, including those of genetic origin. Several of these diseases are rare, typically defined in the United States as an illness affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S.

Pathogenic mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic abnormalities.

Herein we trace links between biochemical pathways, pathogenesis, and metabolic diseases to set the stage for new therapeutic advances. Cellular and acellular microorganisms including bacteria and viruses are primary pathogenic drivers that cause disease. Missing from this statement are subcellular compartments, importantly mitochondria, which can be pathogenic by themselves, also serving as key metabolic disease intermediaries.

Klotho Pathways, Myelination Disorders, Neurodegenerative Diseases, and Epigenetic Drugs.

In this review we outline a rationale for identifying neuroprotectants aimed at inducing endogenous Klotho activity and expression, which is epigenetic action, by definition. Such an approach should promote remyelination and/or stimulate myelin repair by acting on mitochondrial function, thereby heralding a life-saving path forward for patients suffering from neuroinflammatory diseases. Disorders of myelin in the nervous system damage the transmission of signals, resulting in loss of vision, motion, sensation, and other functions depending on the affected nerves, currently with no effective treatment.

Gut Microbiota and Salivary Diagnostics: The Mouth Is Salivating to Tell Us Something.

The microbiome of the human body represents a symbiosis of microbial networks spanning multiple organ systems. Bacteria predominantly represent the diversity of human microbiota, but not to be forgotten are fungi, viruses, and protists. Mounting evidence points to the fact that the "microbial signature" is host-specific and relatively stable over time.