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01-06-2017 | Case Presentation

The Confluence of Psychiatric Symptoms and Neurodegenerative Disease: Impact on Genetic Counseling

Authors: Jill S. Goldman, Edward D. Huey, Deborah Z. Thorne

Published in: Journal of Genetic Counseling | Issue 3/2017

Abstract

Hereditary neurodegenerative diseases can present with a psychiatric prodrome that overlaps with psychiatric symptoms that are not primary to these diseases. When individuals present for predictive testing while experiencing such symptoms, clinicians including genetic counselors, must proceed with caution and evaluate each situation on a case-by-case basis. Legitimate reasons may exist for moving forward with testing. Additionally predicting the consequences of testing is unrealistic so that the clinicians must do their best to prepare patients for both positive and negative results. A multidisciplinary team following the Huntington disease protocol remains the gold standard care for predictive testing for such patients. We discuss 3 case histories that demonstrate the complex nature of genetic counseling and testing in the presence of psychiatric symptoms, whether emanating from the disease itself or the results of living in an affected family.

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Title: The Confluence of Psychiatric Symptoms and Neurodegenerative Disease: Impact on Genetic Counseling
Authors: Jill S. Goldman
Edward D. Huey
Deborah Z. Thorne
Publication date: 01-06-2017
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Genetic Counseling / Issue 3/2017
Print ISSN: 1059-7700
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3599
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-016-0056-5

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

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The Confluence of Psychiatric Symptoms and Neurodegenerative Disease: Impact on Genetic Counseling

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

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