Trastornos mentales en pacientes con ataxia espinocerebelosa tipo 2 / Mental disordess in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 in Cuba

ABSTRACT

Of the different hereditary ataxias present in Cuba, spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) is the mostprevalent molecular type. Over the last years a great amount of progress has been made in clinical, epidemiological, molecularand neurophysiological research. Yet, the main psychiatric disorders that appear in these patients remain unknown. Their properdiagnosis will help to draw up a program of individualized therapeutic interventions for each disorder and will allow the patientto cope better with his or her illness and to take part in an effective physical and psychological rehabilitation program. Aims.To identify the mental disorders that appear in patients suffering from SCA2. We conducted a descriptive study of series of cases in 150 patients with SCA2. Data was obtained by means of a semi-structured interview with patients andtheir relatives, as well as a thorough psychiatric exploration, which enabled us to sort the symptoms according to spheres. Abattery of psychometric tests and the diagnostic and research criteria for the international classification of mental illnesses werealso used. Findings showed that 88 percent of those studied present at least one clinical manifestation related with mentaldisorders. These included, essentially, disorders involving(AU)