LHON Plus and Non-Vision Symptoms
Most individuals with an LHON mutation either never experience any symptoms, or lose vision and have no other symptoms. In some cases, an individual carrying an LHON mutation experiences non-vision symptoms that may be associated with the LHON mutation. It is commonly referred to as “LHON Plus”, or, more recently, “LHON Spectrum Disorder.”
Isolated or multiple symptoms may develop as a result of dysfunction of the central or peripheral nervous system or high energy consuming organs. Additional research is required to identify with certainty which symptoms are associated with an LHON mutation. Some symptoms reported include: cardiac abnormalities, peripheral neuropathy, migraine, muscle weakness and fatigue, exercise intolerance, postural tremor, movement disorders, dystonia, heat and cold intolerance, gastrointestinal disorders, bladder dysfunction, cognitive issues, seizures, auditory processing disorder, speech issues and double vision.
LHON is a very rare disease. LHON Plus is rare within rare. For those experiencing these symptoms, it can be helpful to seek out others dealing with these challenges. For community opportunities there is an LHON Facebook group devoted to LHON Plus.
Other LHON Plus Info:
The following video, LHON Plus the Patient Perspective, discusses LHON Plus.
Other YouTube Videos
