title: Autism and behavior in adult patients with Dravet syndrome (DS).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Autism and behavioral characteristics in adults with Dravet syndrome (DS) have rarely been systematically studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three scales were used to assess the outcomes of DS in adulthood in terms of autism and behavior. All the adult patients with DS, nine male and four female, aged between 18 and 60 years, living at the Epilepsy Center Kempenhaeghe in The Netherlands were included in the study. In addition, the past medical history of each patient was systematically screened for diagnoses like autism, Pervasive Development Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), hyperactivity, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and self-mutilation. Information concerning past and current use of psychoactive drugs was also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight patients (61.5%) were classified as having autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to the AVZ-R or according to the medical record. Self-mutilation was seen in four patients (30.8%), hyperactivity in none. Three patients (23.1%) currently used psychoactive drugs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Autism spectrum disorders persist in adult patients with DS, while certain characteristics associated with behavioral problems, such as hyperactivity or use of psychoactive medication, seem to be less prominent than in childhood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Residential Care, Epilepsy Center Kempenhaeghe, Heeze, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J J L
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Berkvens
authors.affiliation: Department of Residential Care, Epilepsy Center Kempenhaeghe, Heeze, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Veugen
authors.affiliation: Department of Residential Care, Epilepsy Center Kempenhaeghe, Heeze, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M J B M
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Veendrick-Meekes
authors.affiliation: Department of Residential Care, Epilepsy Center Kempenhaeghe, Heeze, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Snoeijen-Schouwenaars
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Academic Center for Epileptology Kempenhaeghe/Maastricht University Medical Center, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Schelhaas
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Willemsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Residential Care, Epilepsy Center Kempenhaeghe, Heeze, The Netherlands. Electronic address: tanf@kempenhaeghe.nl.
authors.forename: I Y
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Residential Care, Epilepsy Center Kempenhaeghe, Heeze, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology, Academic Center for Epileptology Kempenhaeghe/Maastricht University Medical Center, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Aldenkamp
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000150:complications; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004831:Epilepsies, Myoclonic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D012652:Self Mutilation; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adulthood; Autism; Behavior; Dravet syndrome; Severe Myoclonic Epilepsy in Infancy (SMEI)