Neuropsychiatric profile of children, adolescents and young adults with tuberous sclerosis complex

Abstract

Aim: to assess neuropsychiatric disorders and factors related to the intellectual level of patients with Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC).

Method: a cross-sectional study with 20 patients diagnosed with TSC, recruited in a pediatric neurology center, was conducted. Participants were assessed by semi-structured interviews, medical chart information, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale, the Childhood Autism Rating Scale and the Child Behavior Checklist /Adult Self Report. A descriptive analysis of data was performed for each variable. The Comparison between groups with and without intellectual disability was performed using Mann-Whitney U test and Fisher test.

Results: Ninety-five percent of the participants presented epilepsy, 45% intellectual deficit and 25% autistic disorder. The sample also presented clinical manifestations of conduct disorder, anxiety disorder and avoidant personality. There was a significant relationship between intellectual deficit and the following variables: number of medications used for epilepsy (p=0.002), use of benzodiazepine in the treatment of epilepsy (p=0.005) and autism (p=0.008).

Conclusion: The sample presented a high prevalence of epilepsy, cognitive deficit and psychiatric disorders, as demonstrated by other studies in similar population. Intellectual deficit was associated with a higher number of drugs used to treat epilepsy and autism.