The first description of a syndrome including stroke-like episodes, lactic acidaemia, and ragged red fibres, was reported by Shapira et al in 1975.1 Pavlakis et al2 described further cases, introduced the acronym MELAS (mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes), and suggested that this represented a distinct mitochondrial disease phenotype. In 1990, Goto et al3 identified A3243G mutation in the transfer RNA (tRNA) leucine (UUR) gene in some patients with MELAS. Although this mutation has now been established to be the commonest mtDNA defect it is often misdiagnosed. Here we report a kindred of MELAS including a mother and a son. Clinical, pathological and genetic studies are proceeding.