Alpers disease is a serious disease that affects the mitochondria. Children at the age of 2-4 are prone to developing the disease. With this disease muscle-, nerve-, and brain-related things are affected. People with this condition usually have three common symptoms: seizures that do not improve with treatment, loss of movement and mental improvement, and liver disease. There are cures discovered yet but there are symptom slowing treatments. People who have this disease usually have a life expectancy of a few months to about ten years. With this disease the POLG gene creates mutations. This POLG gene is responsible for sending signals to make a protein part called polymerase gamma (pol y) that Pol y checks the …show more content… Because of that this, the cell lacks cellular energy (ATP). This lack of ATP causes the symptoms of Alpers disease. The mitochondria is supposed to do a biological process. The process is called cellular respiration. It takes air and sugar from the food we eat and from when we breathe and makes it into ATP, carbon dioxide, and water. But with this disease you don't have the ability to use glucose as well to make energy then with normal mitochondria. And that creates the symptoms of the disease. Alpers disease affects one in 100,000 cases. Alpers disease is a rare, progressive neurodegenerative disease of the brain that happens in children. The symptoms are both mental, like not learning and behavioral problems. And physical symptoms, like liver failure and/or seizures. People who live with this disease have a life expectancy of a few months to about 10-25 years depending on when the disease develops. On a daily basis researchers research Alpers disease while people battle the disease. They study the disease and by doing that they learn more about it. Show More
