Psychiatric disorders in patients with neurofibromatosis

The “neurofi bromatoses” (NFs) are a group of distinct genetic disorders that are commonly associated with the appearance of nerve tumours. They include NF1, NF2 and schwannomatosis, with the NF1 or von Recklinghausen disease being the most common form. All these disorders are dominantly inherited with a high rate of new mutation and variable expression. It is typically regarded as a cancer predisposition syndrome; however the most common complication of NF1 in childhood is impairment in academic achievement and cognition with att entional, executive, language and visuospatial functions frequently aff ected. This paper therefore, att empts to emphasize the existence and importance of psychological disorders and diffi culties in people with NF1. Early detection of existing psychiatric disorders in NF1 patients opens the possibility of early treatment and bett er quality of life. In this study an overview of the latest fi ndings regarding mental disorders in NF1 patients is given. The majority of studies to date have based their investigation on cognitive impairments whose frequency is high in NF1 patients. Other investigations describe the problems of socialization, quality of life and the possibility of medical treatment. It is important that specialists of diff erent areas of expertise have a clear overview of all mental disorders and diffi culties that may occur in people aff ected by this disease. The importance of a multidisciplinary approach to treatment is also emphasized, which will lead to more successful forms of treatment and improve the quality of life of patients with NF1.