We report three children, each of whom seemed to have a primary mitochondri
al disorder at presentation but was eventually diagnosed with an extramitoc
hondrial inherited metabolic disease. The first patient presented at 6 mont
hs with developmental delay. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an abnormal
signal in the white matter, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed elev
ated lactate peaks. A muscle biopsy showed complex IV deficiency, but leuko
cyte measurement of galactosylceramide beta -galactosidase activity was mar
kedly diminished, consistent with Krabbe's disease. The second patient pres
ented at birth with seizures and later had developmental delays. There was
brain atrophy on neuroimaging. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid lactate levels
were elevated. She had persistently elevated urine thiosulfate, which was
diagnostic for molybdenum cofactor deficiency. The third child presented at
2 months with seizures and hypotonia. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an
abnormal signal in the basal ganglia and surrounding white matter, whereas
magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed elevated lactate peaks. A brain bio
psy was diagnostic for Alexander's disease. These cases and others in the l
iterature suggest that lactic acid elevation in the central nervous system
can be found in a number of extramitochondrial neurologic diseases. Such di
seases would constitute a third category of lactic acidosis.