title: [Mitochondrial encephalomyopathies starting in childhood and adolescence].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In this chapter we carry out a review of the current basic clinical and diagnostic aspects of mitochondrial cytopathies due to deficiencies in the mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes, which appear clinically during childhood and/or adolescence.
  
  
  METHODS
  The description has been divided into two groups: mitochondrial cytopathies secondary to alterations of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and mitochondrial cytopathies secondary to alterations of the nuclear DNA (nDNA).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude by considering the importance of such conditions at this age.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital General de Galicia, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, SERGAS, España. pdcastro@uscmail.usc.es
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castro-Gago
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Novo-Rodríguez
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eirís-Puñal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D017237:Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D017354:Point Mutation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D019344:Lactic Acid