A multiple sclerosis-like illness in a man harboring the mtDNA 14484 mutation

In most cases of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) the only clinic al manifestation is visual loss. A multiple sclerosis-like illness has been infrequently reported in association with LHON. Most patients are women ha rboring the mtDNA 11778 mutation. We present a young man with clinical and paraclinical evidence of a demyelinating process with profound bilateral vi sual loss who harbored the mtDNA 14484 mutation associated with LHON.