A rare mitochondrial disease due to a defect in mitochondrial protein synthesis with a variable phenotype that includes onset in infancy or early childhood of failure to thrive and psychomotor regression (after initial normal development), as well as ocular manifestations (such as ptosis, nystagmus, optic atrophy, ophthalmoplegia and reduced vision). Additional manifestations include bulbar paresis with facial weakness, hypotonia, difficulty chewing, dysphagia, mild dysarthria, ataxia, global muscle atrophy, and areflexia. It has a relatively slow disease progression with patients often living into the third decade of life.

SUCLG1-related mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion syndrome, encephalomyopathic form with methylmalonic aciduria is characterized in the majority of affected newborns by hypotonia, muscle atrophy, feeding difficulties, and lactic acidosis. Affected infants commonly manifest developmental delay / cognitive impairment, growth retardation / failure to thrive, hepatopathy, sensorineural hearing impairment, dystonia, and hypertonia. Notable findings in some affected individuals include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, epilepsy, myoclonus, microcephaly, sleep disturbance, rhabdomyolysis, contractures, hypothermia, and/or hypoglycemia. Life span is shortened, with median survival of 20 months.

Any combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency in which the cause of the disease is a mutation in the LYRM4 gene.

Mitochondrial complex III deficiency, nuclear type 8, is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by progressive neurodegeneration with onset in childhood. Affected individuals may have normal or delayed early development, and often have episodic acute neurologic decompensation and regression associated with febrile illnesses. The developmental regression results in variable intellectual disability and motor deficits, such as hypotonia, axial hypertonia, and spasticity; some patients may lose the ability to walk independently. Laboratory studies show increased serum lactate and isolated deficiency of mitochondrial complex III in skeletal muscle and fibroblasts. Brain imaging shows a characteristic pattern of multifocal small cystic lesions in the periventricular and deep cerebral white matter (summary by Dallabona et al., 2016). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of mitochondrial complex III deficiency, see MC3DN1 (124000).

Combined oxidative phosphorylation defect type 20 is a rare mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation disorder characterized by variable combination of psychomotor delay, hypotonia, muscle weakness, seizures, microcephaly, cardiomyopathy and mild dysmorphic facial features. Variable types of structural brain anomalies have also been reported. Biochemical studies typically show decreased activity of mitochondrial complexes (mainly complex I).

Congenital disorder of glycosylation type IIn (CDG2N) is an autosomal recessive severe multisystem developmental disorder characterized by delayed psychomotor development apparent from infancy, hypotonia, and variable additional features, such as short stature, seizures, visual impairment, and cerebellar atrophy. Serum transferrin analysis shows a CDG type II pattern (summary by Boycott et al., 2015 and Park et al., 2015). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of CDG type II, see CDG2A (212066).

Mitochondrial short-chain enoyl-CoA hydratase 1 deficiency (ECHS1D) represents a clinical spectrum in which several phenotypes have been described: The most common phenotype presents in the neonatal period with severe encephalopathy and lactic acidosis and later manifests Leigh-like signs and symptoms. Those with presentation in the neonatal period typically have severe hypotonia, encephalopathy, or neonatal seizures within the first few days of life. Signs and symptoms typically progress quickly and the affected individual ultimately succumbs to central apnea or arrhythmia. A second group of affected individuals present in infancy with developmental regression resulting in severe developmental delay. A third group of affected individuals have normal development with isolated paroxysmal dystonia that may be exacerbated by illness or exertion. Across all three groups, T2 hyperintensity in the basal ganglia is very common, and may affect any part of the basal ganglia.

MGCA8 is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder resulting in death in infancy. Features include hypotonia, abnormal movements, respiratory insufficiency with apneic episodes, and lack of developmental progress, often with seizures. Brain imaging is variable, but may show progressive cerebral atrophy. Laboratory studies show increased serum lactate and 3-methylglutaconic aciduria, suggesting a mitochondrial defect (summary by Mandel et al., 2016). For a phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of 3-methylglutaconic aciduria, see MGCA type I (250950).

Combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency-32 is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by onset of delayed psychomotor development and developmental regression in infancy. Affected individuals have multiple variable symptoms, including poor or absent speech, inability to walk, and abnormal movements. Brain imaging shows T2-weighted abnormalities in the basal ganglia and brainstem consistent with Leigh syndrome (256000). Patient cells showed decreased activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes, I, III, and IV, as well as impaired mitochondrial translation (summary by Lake et al., 2017). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency, see COXPD1 (609060).

The spectrum of FARS2 deficiency ranges from the infantile-onset phenotype, characterized by epileptic encephalopathy with lactic acidosis and poor prognosis (70% of affected individuals), to the later-onset phenotype, characterized by spastic paraplegia, less severe neurologic manifestations, and longer survival (30% of affected individuals). To date FARS2 deficiency has been reported in 37 individuals from 25 families. Infantile-onset phenotype. Seizures are difficult to control and may progress quickly at an early age to intractable seizures with frequent status epilepticus; some children have hypsarrhythmia on EEG. All have developmental delay; most are nonverbal and unable to walk. Feeding difficulties are common. More than half of affected children die in early childhood. Later-onset phenotype. All affected individuals have spastic paraplegia manifested by weakness, spasticity, and exaggerated reflexes of the lower extremities associated with walking difficulties; some have developmental delay/intellectual disability; some have brief seizures that resolve over time.

Combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency-39 (COXPD39) is an autosomal recessive multisystem disorder resulting from a defect in mitochondrial energy metabolism. Affected individuals show global developmental delay, sometimes with regression after normal early development, axial hypotonia with limb spasticity or abnormal involuntary movements, and impaired intellectual development with poor speech. More variable features may include hypotonia, seizures, and features of Leigh syndrome (256000) on brain imaging. There are variable deficiencies of the mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme complexes in patient tissues (summary by Glasgow et al., 2017). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency, see COXPD1 (609060).

Neurodevelopmental disorder with progressive spasticity and brain white matter abnormalities (NEDSWMA) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by impaired psychomotor development apparent in infancy. Affected individuals show poor overall growth, progressive microcephaly, and axial hypotonia, with later onset of spasticity. The disorder is progressive. Some patients show normal early development, but later have regression of motor, cognitive, and language skills. More variable features include seizures, joint contractures, ocular disturbances, episodic respiratory failure, and nonspecific dysmorphic facial features. The intellectual impairment is variable, ranging from poor visual contact with inability to walk or speak to milder intellectual disability with the ability to say some words. Brain imaging shows variable white matter abnormalities, including thin corpus callosum and poor myelination (summary by Husain et al., 2020).

Congenital deafness and adult-onset progressive leukoencephalopathy (DEAPLE) is an autosomal recessive complex neurodegenerative disorder characterized by congenital neurosensory deafness followed by onset of neurodegenerative symptoms, including pyramidal signs and cognitive decline, in young adulthood. Some patients may have mild developmental delay or learning difficulties in childhood, but most can function independently. The onset of motor and cognitive decline in adulthood can be rapid and may result in early death. Brain imaging shows diffuse white matter abnormalities affecting various brain regions, consistent with a progressive leukoencephalopathy. More variable additional features may include visual impairment and axonal peripheral neuropathy (summary by Scheidecker et al., 2019).

Sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase-deficiency (SQORD) is characterized by a variable phenotype ranging from no clinical symptoms to episodes of encephalopathy and Leigh syndrome-like (see 256000) brain lesions, with acute symptoms triggered by infections and fasting. Other features may include lactic acidosis and decreased mitochondrial respiratory chain complex IV activity in tissues. Most affected individuals are asymptomatic. Patients with encephalopathy may recover or die in childhood (Friederich et al., 2020).

Mitochondrial complex II deficiency nuclear type 4 (MC2DN4) is a severe autosomal recessive disorder characterized by early-onset progressive neurodegeneration with leukoencephalopathy. Acute episodes of neurodegeneration are often triggered by catabolic stress such as infection or fasting.

Mitochondrial complex IV deficiency nuclear type 22 (MC4DN22) is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder characterized by neonatal hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, encephalopathy, and severe lactic acidosis with fatal outcome (Wintjes et al., 2021). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of mitochondrial complex IV (cytochrome c oxidase) deficiency, see 220110.

Combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency-55 (COXPD55) is characterized by global developmental delay, hypotonia, short stature, and impaired intellectual development with speech disabilities in childhood. Indolent progressive external ophthalmoplegia phenotype has been described in 1 patient (summary by Olahova et al., 2021). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency, see COXPD1 (609060).

Mitochondrial complex I deficiency nuclear type 39 (MC1DN39) is an autosomal recessive nuclear disorder of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I characterized by intrauterine growth retardation and anemia and postpartum hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, lactic acidosis, encephalopathy, and a severe complex I defect with a fatal outcome (Correia et al., 2021)

Mitochondrial complex IV deficiency nuclear type 23 (MC4DN23) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by infantile-onset encephalopathy (Rius et al., 2022). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of mitochondrial complex IV (cytochrome c oxidase) deficiency, see 220110.

Mitochondrial dysfunctions syndrome-7 (MMDS7) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by a clinical spectrum ranging from neonatal fatal glycine encephalopathy to an attenuated phenotype of developmental delay, behavioral problems, limited epilepsy, and variable movement problems (Arribas-Carreira et al., 2023). For a general description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of multiple mitochondrial dysfunctions syndrome, see MMDS1 (605711).

Combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency-58 (COXPD58) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by a wide range of clinical presentations including neonatal lactic acidosis, epileptic encephalopathy, developmental delay and impaired intellectual development with nonspecific changes on brain MRI, or mitochondrial myopathy with a treatable neuromuscular transmission defect (Van Haute et al., 2023). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency, see COXPD1 (609060).