TITLE:
Treatment Response in Behaviour Disorders in Rett Syndrome
AUTHORS:
Ana Roche Martínez, Marc Turon, Laura Callejón-Póo, Elisenda Sole, Judith Armstrong, Mercé Pineda
KEYWORDS:
Cortisol, Mood and Behavior, Rett Syndrome; SSRI; SNRI
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science,
Vol.3 No.2,
May
24,
2013
ABSTRACT: RTT girls suffer periods of
abnormal behavior from early infancy, including irritability and sleep
disorders or anxiety in the first years of life, and a more depressed mood
after adolescence, all of which influences their quality of life. An
association between emotional and behavioral disorders and various neurochemical changes in the synapses of cortical and subcortical brain regions has
been established; also, cortisol levels in the blood vary during stress. The main purpose of this study was
to improve mood and behavior disorders in RTT patients with venlafaxine (SNRI),
and compare the results with citalopram (SSRIs) during 6 - 8 weeks, to determine
which drug offered greater efficacy and fewer side effects, as well as to
compare them to risperidone, and to correlate cortisol levels in saliva with
stress and drug response. Eleven patients, aged 5 to 26 years old, agreed to participate in this
study; neuropsychological tests (Mullen and Vineland scales), quality of life
and quality of sleep scales, blood tests, EKG and EEG were performed before and
after treatment. Only 2 patients completed the three months trial. Improvement in mood
and behavior was not statistically significant for patients; differences in
neurodevelopment and quality of life or sleep scales were not significant
either; no serious adverse effects were observed. Cortisol levels in saliva
decreased in 50% of the patients after the first month of treatment, although
this was not statistically significant.