Indicators of anxiety and depression in women with the fragile X premutation: assessment of a clinical sample

Ave Lachiewicz; D Dawson; G Spiridigliozzi; M Cuccaro; M Lachiewicz; A McConkie-Rosell

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2010.01290.x

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Indicators of anxiety and depression in women with the fragile X premutation: assessment of a clinical sample

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Indicators of anxiety and depression in women with the fragile X premutation: assessment of a clinical sample

Ave Lachiewicz, D Dawson, G Spiridigliozzi, M Cuccaro, M Lachiewicz and A McConkie-Rosell

Journal of intellectual disability research, Vol.54(7), pp.597-610

07/2010

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2010.01290.x

PMID: 20629912

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Abstract

Background Current research suggests that depression and anxiety may be common problems in women with the fragile X (FMR1) premutation. Methods To learn more about this in a clinical setting, we asked 33 women with the FMR1 premutation and 20 women without the FMR1 premutation to complete the Brief Carroll Depression Scale (Brief CDS) and the Multidimensional Anxiety Questionnaire (MAQ) and to provide information about mental health medication use. Questionnaire findings were compared between groups and with normative samples. Trinucleotide (CGG) repeat counts were also correlated to checklist findings. Results Both women with the FMR1 premutation and the comparison group had high current mental health medication use (33% vs. 35%). Approximately 1/3 of the women from both groups had high Brief CDS Total T-scores (33% vs. 30%). More women with the FMR1 premutation had at least one elevated MAQ Total or sub-scale T-score than the comparison group (39% vs. 10%, P = 0.03). Twenty-one per cent of women with the FMR1 premutation had all three of the indicators of distress targeted in this study vs. none of the women in the comparison samples (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant correlation between CGG repeat size and abnormal checklist findings using the Spearman rank correlation, although a higher percentage of women with >100 CGG repeats (57%) had an elevated Brief CDS Total T-score than women with ≤100 CGG repeats (16%) (P = 0.02). More women with >100 CGG repeats also had all three indicators of anxiety and depression (P = 0.03). Conclusions Women with the FMR1 premutation appear to have a high incidence of depression and increased symptoms of anxiety. Screening tools like the Brief CDS and the MAQ may be useful to identify these women in the clinic setting. Positive identification could lead to increased mental health care and treatment.

Adolescent

Adult

Affective Symptoms - diagnosis

Affective Symptoms - epidemiology

Antidepressive Agents - therapeutic use

Anxiety Disorders - diagnosis

Anxiety Disorders - epidemiology

Depressive Disorder - diagnosis

Depressive Disorder - epidemiology

Down Syndrome - epidemiology

Down Syndrome - psychology

Female

Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein - genetics

Fragile X Syndrome - epidemiology

Fragile X Syndrome - genetics

Fragile X Syndrome - psychology

Humans

Incidence

Psychological Tests

Surveys and Questionnaires

Trinucleotide Repeats - genetics

Young Adult

Details

Title: Subtitle: Indicators of anxiety and depression in women with the fragile X premutation: assessment of a clinical sample
Creators: Ave Lachiewicz - Duke University
D Dawson - University of Iowa
G Spiridigliozzi - Duke Medical Center
M Cuccaro - University of Miami
M Lachiewicz - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
A McConkie-Rosell - Duke University
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of intellectual disability research, Vol.54(7), pp.597-610
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2010.01290.x
PMID: 20629912
NLM abbreviation: J Intellect Disabil Res
ISSN: 0964-2633
eISSN: 1365-2788
Grant note: HD40643-02 / NICHD NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 07/2010
Academic Unit: Neurology
Record Identifier: 9985089928002771

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