Mitochondrial diseases mimicking neurotransmitter defects.

OBJECTIVE

Mitochondrial disorders are clinically heterogeneous. We aimed to describe 5 patients who presented with a clinical picture suggestive of primary neurotransmitter defects but who finally fulfilled diagnostic criteria for mitochondrial disease.

METHODS

We report detailed clinical features, brain magnetic resonance findings and biochemical studies, including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biogenic amine and pterin measurements, respiratory chain enzyme activity, and molecular studies.

RESULTS

The 5 patients had a very early onset age (from 1 day to 3 months) and a severe clinical course. They all showed a clinical picture suggestive of infantile hypokinetic-rigid syndrome (hypokinesia, hypomimia, slowness of reactions, tremor), other abnormal movements (myoclonus, dystonia), axial hypotonia, limb hypertonia, feeding difficulties, and psychomotor delay. Abnormal CSF findings among the 4 patients without treatment included low levels of homovanillic acid (HVA) in 3 patients, with associated low 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) concentrations in two of them. Absent or mild and transitory improvement was observed after treatment with L-dopa. A diagnosis of mitochondrial disorder was finally made due to the appearance of hyperlactacidemia, diverse respiratory chain defects, and multisystemic involvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Secondary neurotransmitter disturbances may occur in mitochondrial diseases. Differential diagnosis of hypokinetic-rigid syndrome presenting in infancy could also include paediatric mitochondrial disorders.