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Revista de Neurologia Oct 2006Isolated mental retardation is rarely caused by metabolic factors. The application of a standardised protocol offers low diagnostic performance. There is no... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT
Isolated mental retardation is rarely caused by metabolic factors. The application of a standardised protocol offers low diagnostic performance. There is no international agreement about what type of metabolic examination must be applied in patients with unspecific mental retardation. Nevertheless, and although they are infrequent, there are a number of inborn errors of metabolism that can present in this way. Urea cycle disorders, different forms of homocystinuria, creatine transport deficiency, 4-hydroxybutyric aciduria, Sanfilippo disease, adenylosuccinate lyase deficit and certain extraordinarily rare congenital disorders of the glycosylation of proteins are some examples of them. It is important first to consider those for which treatment is available and that could be diagnosed genetically for possible family counselling.
CONCLUSIONS
Rather than applying a standardised study protocol it is essential is to perform a thorough appraisal of the signs and symptoms associated with the mental retardation (psychiatric disorders, autistic traits, predominant compromise of language, signs of cerebellar dysfunction, epilepsy, dysmorphic traits), since in most disorders it is necessary to apply specific analyses, which are not included in conventional metabolic studies and are only available in certain reference centres.
Topics: Algorithms; Brain Diseases, Metabolic; Humans; Intellectual Disability
PubMed: 17061190
DOI: No ID Found -
Neurology Mar 2007
Topics: Gene Expression Profiling; Humans; Intellectual Disability; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; Syndrome
PubMed: 17339578
DOI: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000258539.19756.95 -
American Journal of Mental Retardation... Nov 1992On measures of speeded performance, persons with mental retardation typically respond more slowly than do those without mental retardation. A review of 45 published... (Review)
Review
On measures of speeded performance, persons with mental retardation typically respond more slowly than do those without mental retardation. A review of 45 published studies yielded 518 pairs of response times (RTs) in which each pair consisted of a mean RT for a group of persons with mental retardation for an experimental condition and the corresponding mean RT for a group of persons without mental retardation. The primary result was that RTs of individuals with mental retardation increased linearly as a function of RTs for persons without mental retardation in corresponding conditions. These results are consistent with the view that differences in processing speed between persons with and without mental retardation reflect some general (i.e., nontask specific) component of cognitive processing. Possible candidates for the general component were discussed.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Education of Intellectually Disabled; Humans; Intellectual Disability; Intelligence; Mental Processes; Reaction Time
PubMed: 1449732
DOI: No ID Found -
Pediatrics in Review Jun 2006
Topics: Child; Child Development; Health Status Indicators; Humans; Infant; Intellectual Disability; Intelligence; Intelligence Tests
PubMed: 16740804
DOI: 10.1542/pir.27-6-204 -
Lijecnicki Vjesnik 2003Causes of mental retardation that affects 1-2% of general population are numerous and heterogeneous and include genetic and environmental factors. Improvement of... (Review)
Review
Causes of mental retardation that affects 1-2% of general population are numerous and heterogeneous and include genetic and environmental factors. Improvement of diagnostic techniques and progress made in mapping genes associated with specific mental retardation syndromes provide the possibility to make precise diagnosis in a proportion of mentally retarded individuals. The present study reviews the current diagnostic possibilities, highlights the problems involved in the diagnosis of mental retardation, providing practical guidelines for rational diagnostic approach and work up in individuals with mental retardation. Diagnosis is highly dependent on a detailed and comprehensive family and personal history, careful physical examination and long-term follow up of the children with developmental delay. Referral to specialised genetic units, where extensive evaluation based on rational selection of the specific investigations is possible, yields best diagnostic results.
Topics: Chromosome Aberrations; Fragile X Syndrome; Humans; Intellectual Disability
PubMed: 12899097
DOI: No ID Found -
Perceptual and Motor Skills Aug 1996An analysis of the psychological aspects of the legal concept of competency/fitness to stand trial draws attention to the central role of understanding. The rationale of... (Review)
Review
An analysis of the psychological aspects of the legal concept of competency/fitness to stand trial draws attention to the central role of understanding. The rationale of certain basic requirements for the construct validity of a psychometric test of understanding in people with mental retardation is presented, and a test that meets those requirements is described.
Topics: Awareness; Canada; Concept Formation; Humans; Intellectual Disability; Mental Competency; Neuropsychological Tests; United States
PubMed: 8873190
DOI: 10.2466/pms.1996.83.1.187 -
Science (New York, N.Y.) Oct 2000A flurry of findings points to protein translation in the dendrites of neurons as a key feature leading to the changes at synapses that are vital to learning (see main...
A flurry of findings points to protein translation in the dendrites of neurons as a key feature leading to the changes at synapses that are vital to learning (see main text). And one recent discovery suggests that when this translation goes awry, it can lead to mental retardation.
Topics: Animals; Dendrites; Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein; Fragile X Syndrome; Humans; Intellectual Disability; Mice; Mutation; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Protein Biosynthesis; RNA-Binding Proteins; Synapses
PubMed: 11184206
DOI: 10.1126/science.290.5492.737 -
Revista de Neurologia Jan 2006Mental retardation (MR) is defined by the simultaneous appearance of a low intellectual level and an inability to adapt to the demands of the surroundings, beginning... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Mental retardation (MR) is defined by the simultaneous appearance of a low intellectual level and an inability to adapt to the demands of the surroundings, beginning either in childhood or during adolescence. Although it is to expected that in the future it will become possible to treat intellectual disability itself by pharmacological means, at present we can only act on the behavioural and neurological syndromes that accompany MR.
DEVELOPMENT AND CONCLUSIONS
This review looks at the different pharmacological agents that may improve the problems that usually make it more difficult for a patient with MR to adapt within the family, at school and in the workplace. The neuropsychiatric disorders that most often require pharmacological treatment include attention deficit, hyperactivity, behavioural disorders, autism, anxiety, aggressiveness, self-injury and affective disorders. The most frequently used drugs are stimulants, atypical antipsychotics and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). Their characteristics and application in the different situations that require medical attention are described. The pharmacological treatment of certain common genetic syndromes that involve MR and which are highly specific in their behavioural expression are also discussed.
Topics: Child; Humans; Intellectual Disability; Mental Retardation, X-Linked
PubMed: 16506124
DOI: No ID Found -
Medical Hypotheses Sep 2001Mental retardation is progressive in Down syndrome: individuals are born with normal intelligence which starts to decline linearly within the first year. This phenomenon...
Mental retardation is progressive in Down syndrome: individuals are born with normal intelligence which starts to decline linearly within the first year. This phenomenon can be observed with phenylalanine in patients with phenylketonuria, therefore it is compatible with metabolic intoxication. The toxic compound could be hydrogen sulfide. The amount of the compound is probably increased in Down syndrome by increasing active cystathionine beta synthase. This heuristic hypothesis requires further investigation.
Topics: Down Syndrome; Humans; Hydrogen Sulfide; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Intellectual Disability; Intelligence
PubMed: 11516234
DOI: 10.1054/mehy.2001.1377 -
American Family Physician Aug 1997An increased number of adults with mental retardation are living in the community and seeking health care from family physicians. When mentally retarded patients are... (Review)
Review
An increased number of adults with mental retardation are living in the community and seeking health care from family physicians. When mentally retarded patients are enrolled in a medical practice, guardianship status should be determined, but these patients should be involved in their own care to as great an extent possible. Since a verbal history may be difficult to obtain, a systematic, thorough physical examination is important. Certain Illnesses, such as hepatitis B, recurrent aspiration syndrome, leukemia and atlantoaxial instability, are much more common in adults with Down syndrome then in adults with mental retardation from other causes. Seizures and mental illness are equally common in all mentally retarded adults. The behavior management and pharmacologic therapy of patients with mental retardation are best handled in close association with caregivers, as well as psychiatrists and neurologists who are familiar with the special needs of this population.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Intellectual Disability; Medical History Taking; Physical Examination; Prevalence; Primary Health Care; Residence Characteristics
PubMed: 9262529
DOI: No ID Found