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A series of three scientific articles explore the link between the onset of psychiatric symptoms in adolescence in people with Phelan McDermid Syndrome, or PMS. PMS is caused by a mutation in the SHANK3 gene, leading to a wide range of medical, behavioral and intellectual challenges, as well as autism spectrum disorder. Scientists used a broad literature review as well as the PMS patient registry to better describe what was going on, and a group at Duke compiled a case series of girls affected that were responsive to treatment. While so far this decompensation as a result of onset of psychiatric illness has only been documented in PMS, families across the spectrum should be aware so they can seek immediate help for their child if they see similar symptoms.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32050889
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31879555
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32015180