Spastic paraplegia-79B (SPG79B) is an autosomal recessive progressive neurologic disorder characterized by onset of spastic paraplegia and optic atrophy in the first decade of life. Additional features are variable, but may include peripheral neuropathy, cerebellar ataxia, and cognitive impairment (summary by Rydning et al., 2017). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of autosomal recessive spastic paraplegia, see SPG5A (270800).

Childhood-onset neurodegeneration with multisystem involvement due to mitochondrial dysfunction (CONDMIM) is an autosomal recessive syndromic disorder characterized primarily by neurologic deficits. Patients show global developmental delay and variably impaired intellectual development with speech delay apparent from infancy. Affected individuals have hypotonia, poor feeding, poor overall growth, and respiratory distress early in life. Other features include visual impairment due to optic atrophy, sensorineural hearing loss, and neuromuscular abnormalities. The severity is highly variable. The disorder is progressive; about half of patients show developmental regression with loss of previous skills. Features suggestive of a mitochondrial disorder include cataracts, cardiomyopathy, diabetes mellitus, combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency, and increased lactate. Some patients develop seizures, some have dysmorphic facial features, and some have nonspecific abnormalities on brain imaging. Death in childhood may occur (Kaiyrzhanov et al., 2022).