Chapter 14. Mental health issues in Friedreich ataxia
This chapter of the Clinical Management Guidelines for Friedreich Ataxia and the recommendations and best practice statements contained herein were endorsed by the authors and the Friedreich Ataxia Guidelines Panel in 2022.
14.1 Literature review of prevalence of mental health issues in Friedreich ataxia
14.2 Management of depression in Friedreich ataxia
14.3 Management of anxiety in Friedreich ataxia
14.4 Management of psychosis in Friedreich ataxia
Disclaimer / Intended Use / Funding
Disclaimer
The Clinical Management Guidelines for Friedreich ataxia (‘Guidelines’) are protected by copyright owned by the authors who contributed to their development or said authors’ assignees.
These Guidelines are systematically developed evidence statements incorporating data from a comprehensive literature review of the most recent studies available (up to the Guidelines submission date) and reviewed according to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment Development and Evaluations (GRADE) framework © The Grade Working Group.
Guidelines users must seek out the most recent information that might supersede the diagnostic and treatment recommendations contained within these Guidelines and consider local variations in clinical settings, funding and resources that may impact on the implementation of the recommendations set out in these Guidelines.
The authors of these Guidelines disclaim all liability for the accuracy or completeness of the Guidelines, and disclaim all warranties, express or implied to their incorrect use.
Intended Use
These Guidelines are made available as general information only and do not constitute medical advice. These Guidelines are intended to assist qualified healthcare professionals make informed treatment decisions about the care of individuals with Friedreich ataxia. They are not intended as a sole source of guidance in managing issues related to Friedreich ataxia. Rather, they are designed to assist clinicians by providing an evidence-based framework for decision-making.
These Guidelines are not intended to replace clinical judgment and other approaches to diagnosing and managing problems associated with Friedreich ataxia which may be appropriate in specific circumstances. Ultimately, healthcare professionals must make their own treatment decisions on a case-by-case basis, after consultation with their patients, using their clinical judgment, knowledge and expertise.
Guidelines users must not edit or modify the Guidelines in any way – including removing any branding, acknowledgement, authorship or copyright notice.
Funding
The authors of this document gratefully acknowledge the support of the Friedreich Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA). The views and opinions expressed in the Guidelines are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FARA.
14. Mental health issues in Friedreich ataxia
This chapter describes important mental health issues for individuals with Friedreich ataxia, including depression, anxiety and psychosis, and strategies for investigation and management. In making recommendations for management of these mental health conditions, the authors were tasked with answering the following questions:
For individuals with Friedreich ataxia, what is the best management for depression? (see 14.2)
For individuals with Friedreich ataxia, what is the best management for anxiety? (see 14.3)
For individuals with Friedreich ataxia, what is the best management for psychosis? (see 14.4)
Louise Corben, PhD
Principal Research Fellow, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Email: louise.corben@mcri.edu.au
Alexandra Durr, MD, PhD
Professor of Neurogenetics, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
Email: alexandra.durr@icm-institute.org
Susan Perlman, MD
Clinical Professor of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
Email: sperlman@ucla.edu
Caroline Spencer, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Email: cspencer@bu.edu
George Wilmot, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Email: gwilmot@emory.edu
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These Guidelines are systematically developed evidence statements incorporating data from a comprehensive literature review of the most recent studies available (up to the Guidelines submission date) and reviewed according to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment Development and Evaluations (GRADE) framework © The Grade Working Group.
This chapter of the Clinical Management Guidelines for Friedreich Ataxia and the recommendations and best practice statements contained herein were endorsed by the authors and the Friedreich Ataxia Guidelines Panel in 2022.
It is our expectation that going forward individual topics can be updated in real-time in response to new evidence versus a re-evaluation and update of all topics simultaneously.