Psychiatric comorbidities in common genetic disorders with physical disability

Abstract

The burden of genetic disorders associated with physical disabilities and psychiatric disorders is connected to increasing healthcare expenses and demands on the patients and their caregivers. Psychiatric comorbidities such as anxiety and mood disorders affect a large number of children and adolescents with genetic disorders, leading to poor quality of life and impaired psychological adjustment. Research on this population is scarce compared with studies on the comorbidity of psychiatric problems with physical illnesses (e.g., endocrine disorders and neurological problems). The aim of this review is to focus on the most prevalent genetic disorders that cause physical disability and are most commonly associated with psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. These include Duchenne muscular dystrophy, neurofibromatosis, myotonic dystrophy, hemophilia, Turner syndrome, Klinefelter’s syndrome, tuberous sclerosis complex, fragile X syndrome and velo-cardio-facial syndrome.