Delusional and psychotic disorders in juvenile myotonic dystrophy type-1

Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2017 Jun;174(4):359-366. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32524. Epub 2017 Apr 27.

Abstract

We investigated the clinically derived hypothesis of a relatively high incidence of delusional and psychotic disorders in adolescents with juvenile Myotonic Dystrophy type-1 (DM1). Twenty-seven subjects of age 16-25 with juvenile DM1 and their parents were invited to have a clinical psychiatric interview, and to complete an ASEBA behavior checklist (YSR, ASR, CBCL, and ABCL). We diagnosed a Delusional Disorder in 19% of our patients and a Psychotic Disorder not otherwise specified in another 19%. These two groups of patients had a significantly worse level of clinically defined general functioning. It is clinically relevant to investigate in patients with juvenile DM the symptom of delusions and the presence of a delusional and psychotic disorder, and to consider the presence of juvenile DM in youngsters presenting with such a thought disorder. These disorders compromise the general functioning of the subjects and are often to some extent treatable. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Keywords: delusional disorder; juvenile myotonic disorder; muscular dystrophy; psychosocial functioning; psychotic disorder.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Delusions / diagnosis
  • Delusions / etiology*
  • Delusions / psychology
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Myotonic Dystrophy / complications*
  • Myotonic Dystrophy / psychology
  • Prognosis
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Psychotic Disorders / diagnosis
  • Psychotic Disorders / etiology*
  • Psychotic Disorders / psychology
  • Young Adult