Mitochondrial toxins and neurodegenerative diseases.

The selective loss of a particular subset of neurons is a common feature of neurodegenerative disorders. A failure in respiratory chain complex activities in mitochondria seems to be a causative factor. The aim of this review is to describe the most important toxins affecting the mitochondrial function, which could be involved in the incidence of some of these diseases: MPTP, rotenone and 3-nitropropionic (3-NPA).