Depressive behaviour in children diagnosed with a mitochondrial disorder.

A higher incidence of depression has been described in adults with primary oxidative phosphorylation disease. We evaluated the psychological characteristics of eighteen non-retarded pediatric patients diagnosed with a disorder of the oxidative phosphorylation. We found significantly higher rate of withdrawn, depressive behaviour compared to population norm scores, to children with other types of inborn errors of metabolism and also in comparison to patients with Sotos syndrome.

[A place for SSRIs in the treatment of severely depressed children and adolescents].

Although in the past there were objections against the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for the treatment of depression in children and adolescents, recent studies have shown that SSRIs, in particular fluoxetine, are effective against depression in this age group. Cognitive behavioural therapy has a questionable effect in children and adolescents with severe depression. Other unequivocally effective treatment options are not available.

Segmental rigidity and spinal myoclonus as a paraneoplastic syndrome.

A 68 year old woman is described with persisting muscular rigidity of the left lower leg together with transient myoclonic jerking in the left quadriceps muscle. Six weeks after onset a small cell carcinoma of the lung became manifest. With radiotherapy and chemotherapy complete remission was achieved.