Manic symptoms and behavioral dysregulation in youth with velocardiofacial syndrome (22q11.2 deletion syndrome)

• Published in: Journal of child and adolescent psychopharmacology Vol. 17; no. 1; pp. 105 - 114
• Main Authors: Aneja, Alka, Fremont, Wanda P, Antshel, Kevin M, Faraone, Stephen V, AbdulSabur, Nuria, Higgins, Anne Marie, Shprintzen, Robert, Kates, Wendy R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Mary Ann Liebert, Inc 01.02.2007
• Subjects: Adolescent; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - diagnosis; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - genetics; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - psychology; Bipolar disorder; Bipolar Disorder - diagnosis; Bipolar Disorder - epidemiology; Bipolar Disorder - genetics; Bipolar Disorder - psychology; Child; Child Behavior Disorders - diagnosis; Child Behavior Disorders - epidemiology; Child Behavior Disorders - genetics; Child Behavior Disorders - psychology; Child psychology; Chromosome Deletion; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 22; Comorbidity; DiGeorge Syndrome - diagnosis; DiGeorge Syndrome - epidemiology; DiGeorge Syndrome - genetics; DiGeorge Syndrome - psychology; Female; Humans; Learning disabilities; Learning Disorders - diagnosis; Learning Disorders - epidemiology; Learning Disorders - genetics; Learning Disorders - psychology; Male; Personality Assessment - statistics & numerical data; Pharmacology; Predictions; Psychometrics - statistics & numerical data; Reproducibility of Results; Risk factors
• ISSN: 1044-5463; 1557-8992
• DOI: 10.1089/cap.2006.0023

Mania and bipolar disorder have been reported in adolescents and adults with velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS; also known as 22q11.2 deletion syndrome). Children with VCFS have a high prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which may constitute a risk factor for the eventual development of bipolar disorder in this population. Therefore, we sought to determine whether children with VCFS exhibit more manic symptoms than community controls that also may have learning disorders and ADHD. The study population consisted of 86 children with VCFS and 36 community controls from ages 9 to 15 years, using measures of Young Mania Rating Scale-Parent Version, Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL), Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-3rd edition (WISC-III). The results indicate that manic symptoms were not more prevalent in VCFS than in a community sample of children with learning disorders and ADHD. However, after accounting for symptoms of depression and ADHD, we found that manic symptoms in VCFS predicted uniquely to scores on four Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) subscales, including anxiety, somatization, thought, and conduct problems. In contrast, manic symptoms in controls predicted uniquely to conduct problems only. Accordingly, our findings of severe behavioral impairment in youth with VCFS and manic symptoms suggest that these children may warrant more intensive monitoring and treatment relative to youth with VCFS and ADHD only.