title: [Mitochondrial encephalopathies].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We carry out a review of the current basic genetic, biochemical, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of mitochondrial cytopathies due to deficiencies in the mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes, which appear clinically during childhood and/or adolescence.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical description has been divided into two groups: mitochondrial cytopathies secondary to alterations of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and mitochondrial cytopathies secondary to alterations of the nuclear DNA (nDNA); we also consider about the importance of such conditions at this age.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Clínico-Universitario, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario, SERGAS, Santiago de Compostela, España.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castro-Gago
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Novo-Rodríguez
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pintos-Martínez
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arenas
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eirís-Puñal
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D004579:Electron Transport / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D017237:Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D017354:Point Mutation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D019344:Lactic Acid