Neuropsychiatric syndromes in adults with intellectual disability: issues in assessment and treatment

The purpose of this article is to present a survey of important neuropsychiatric issues and recent findings regarding the evaluation and treatment of neuropsychiatric symptoms and syndromes in patients with intellectual disability (ID). The cause of ID, environmental or genetic, can be determined in few patients. Etiology is idiopathic in most patients. ID and psychiatric illness are not mutually exclusive; individuals with ID have increased rates of psychiatric illness. Although recognition of significant axis I psychopathology is important, not all challenging behaviors in persons with ID will have a clear axis I diagnosis. Psychologic, behavioral, and environmental treatments are appropriate measures, but pharmacotherapy often is needed. Our experience has shown us that the more severe, disruptive, and dangerous the behavior, the stronger the indication for empirical drug treatment trials. Community-based models of support with neuropsychiatric intervention can be a potent therapeutic combination in the management of challenging behaviors in individuals with ID.