At the 3rd international conference on 22q11 in Barcelona, Dr. Mariela Mosheva and Prof. Doron Gothelf (Sheba Medical Center) presented their works on drug treatments for individuals with 22q11 with comorbid psychiatric disorders.
Psychiatric disorders affect 60-80% of individuals with 22q11.2DS and can take many forms, such as ADHD, mood and anxiety disorders or psychotic spectrum disorders.
The researchers conducted an extensive literature review to have an overview of the side effect of the most widely used drugs (antipsychotics, clozapine, metyrosine, stimulants, antidepressants, etc.) on 22q11.
They concluded that individuals with 22q11.2DS and related psychiatric disorders are treated in a manner comparable to non-22q11.2DS individuals. However, distinctive medical comorbidities typical to individuals with 22q11.2DS may complicate the administration of pharmacotherapy, especially since most centers evaluate patients infrequently, during study visits and are not managing their psychiatric treatment.