INVESTIGATION ON THE MITOCHONDRIAL TRANSFER RNA(LEU(UUR)) IN BLOOD-CELLS FROM PATIENTS WITH CLUSTER HEADACHE

Various mutations in the mitochondrial tRNA(Leu(UUR)) gene give rise t o a variety of neurological disorders. Among these, mitochondrial ence phalomyopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS syndrom e) are frequently associated with a tRNA(Leu(UUR)) mutation at nucleot ide position 3243 of the mitochondrial DNA. A supplementary clinical f eature seen in these patients is headache in early life. Recently, a t RNA(Leu(UUR)) mutation at nucleotide position 3243 has been found in a patient presenting with cluster headache. This led us to examine the mitochondrial genomes of 22 patients presenting with cluster headache. None of the patients harboured the reported tRNA(Leu(UUR)) mutation o r any other length variations of the mtDNA. Cluster headache is most l ikely not causally associated with the A3243G mutation of the mitochon drial DNA.