Mitochondrial disorders and psychosis

Abstract

Facts box A primary mitochondrial function is that of cellular energy metabolism through the respiratory chain. Four important concepts in relation to mitochondrial genetics are those of maternal inheritance, heteroplasmy /homoplasmy, mitotic segregation, and the role of autosomal genes that code for mitochondrial products. More than 100 disease-associated point mutations of mitochondrial DNA have been identified. Several lines of investigation point to potential mitochondrial involvement in patients with schizophrenia. The association of mitochondrial disorders with schizophrenia-like psychosis (SLP) relies on case reports. SLP has been described in some cases. In others, psychosis occurs i..