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Effects of psychotropic drugs on intelligence test performance of institutionalized mentally retarded adults.

Twenty-four institutionalized mentally retarded persons received intelligence tests under both standard and reinforcement conditions while on and off psychotropic medication. Medications included chlorpromazine (Thorazine), thioridazine (Mellaril), haloperidol (Haldol), mesoridazine (Serentil), and lithium carbonate (Lithane). Results showed that when on medication there were no differences between IQs obtained under standard and reinforcement conditions. When off medication there were significant increases in scores obtained under both standard and reinforcement conditions. The increase in scores under the reinforcement condition was 23 points greater than the increase obtained under the standard condition (increases of 30.2 and 6.9 points, respectively). Results were discussed in terms of the sensitivity--insensitivity of intelligence test scores to medication effects, medications impairing responding to external reinforcement contingencies, and legal implications.

Adult↗

Transcendental meditation and mental retardation.

A 26-year old moderately mentally retarded woman was taught the Transcendental Meditation technique. She experienced spontaneous improvements in her verbal and social behavior and physiological functioning over a period of three years while practicing the technique.

Adult↗

Proactive inhibition by mentally retarded persons: effects of distracter vocalization.

Mentally retarded adolescents were tested in eight experimental conditions using the Brown-Peterson paradigm of proactive inhibition. Length of retention interval, absence or presence of vocalization during the retention interval (naming colored lights), and rate of light presentation varied. The purpose was to determine the influence of amount of vocalization during the retention interval on retrieval from short-term memory. A filled retention interval had more a deleterious effect on retrieval than did an unfilled one, but significant amounts of memory loss occurred whether the interval was filled or unfilled. Amount of vocalization did not affect recall.

Adolescent↗

Placement from community-based mental retardation programs: how well do clients do?

Mentally retarded clients (N = 131) placed during a 2-year period from either an independent living or competitive employment training program were evaluated as to placement success. Thirteen percent returned to the training program. Successful independent living placement was related to intelligence and demonstrated skills in symbolic operations, personal maintenance, clothing care and use, socially appropriate behavior, and functional academics. Successful employment was related to sensorimotor, visual-auditory processing, language, and symbolic-operations skills. Major reasons for returning from a job to the competitive employment training program included inappropriate behavior or need for more training; returning from community living placement was related to money management, apartment cleanliness, social behavior, and meal preparation.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Development of standards of performance by mentally retarded children.

The ability of moderately mentally retarded children to set self-performance standards was investigated. We hypothesized that (a) subjects who received training based on the relational concept of "between" would be able to acquire and retain superior standard-setting performance compared to nontrained control subjects, and (b) those receiving this training would be able to generalize their superior standard-setting performance to a task involving more variable feedback as well as to a conceptually more abstract task. Results indicated that the subjects learned and retained concepts that allowed them to set appropriate or realistic self-performance standards. Further, retarded subjects were able to set appropriate standards when given less restricted feedback than was given during the initial training. On a more abstract picture-matching task, no significant differences were found between the two groups.

Concept Formation↗

Orthotics for the mentally retarded.

Although only a portion of mentally retarded persons need orthotic management, these services can help achieve increased function and independence or make custodial care easier for the health care team or family.

Humans↗

Relationship of IQ, adaptive behavior, age, and environmental demand to community-placement success of mentally retarded adults.

Successfully and unsuccessfully placed mentally retarded adults were compared on the basis of IQ, age, Adaptive Behavior Scale (ABS) Factors 1, 2 and 3, and the ranking of program-setting demands. The ABS Factor 2 (Social Maladaptation), which is composed of behavior that challenges staff members' authority or threatens the health/safety of staff members or other clients, was the only measure that distinguished the groups. Successfully placed subjects exhibited lower levels of Social Maladaptation, suggesting that in order to improve chances for successful community placement, institution and community staff members should concentrate their efforts either on the reduction of socially maladaptive behavior or on the placement of more socially adaptive clients.

Adult↗

Review of the role of two antilibidinal drugs in the treatment of sex offenders with mental retardation.

A minority of individuals with mental retardation engage in offensive sexual behavior (e.g., child molestation, genital exposure, rape). Many of these individuals may benefit from the adjunctive administration of antilibidinal drugs. The two most widely used are the antiandrogens, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) and cyproterone acetate (CPA). In the present paper the efficacy, cautions, side effects, and mode(s) of action of these substances were reviewed and medico-legal issues surrounding their use discussed. Controlled studies of antilibidinal agents with adequate numbers of patients using clearly defined (e.g., cognitive abilities) and valid and reliable outcome measures are needed.

Cyproterone Acetate↗

Mental retardation in ten-year-old children in relation to their mothers' employment during pregnancy.

We conducted a case-control study to examine relationships between potential risk factors in women's prenatal occupational histories and subsequent mental retardation in their 10-year-old children. Children with mental retardation (intelligence quotient less than 71) were identified from special education records maintained by the public school systems in the metropolitan Atlanta area and from records of various medical and social service agencies serving children with special needs. Control children were chosen from the rosters of 10-year-olds who were enrolled in regular education classes in the local public school systems. To obtain occupational histories, sociodemographic data, and other information, we interviewed 352 natural mothers (67%) of 525 case children and 408 natural mothers (64%) of 636 control children. We computed odds ratios for each of 25 selected occupation, industry, and agent categories controlling for maternal education, birth order, and race. Most comparisons yielded odds ratios that were not indicative of unusual risks, but we did find lower than expected risks among children of teachers and health-care professionals. We also found a strong, positive association between mental retardation and maternal employment in the textile and apparel industries. The findings are useful for planning the direction of future studies of childhood cognitive ability to focus on specific parental occupations or industries.

Adult↗

Effects of methylphenidate treatment in children with mental retardation and ADHD: individual variation in medication response.

OBJECTIVE: Individual variation in cognitive and behavioral response to methylphenidate (MPH) was investigated in children with mental retardation and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. METHOD: Twenty-four children (mean age 10.9 years, SD = 2.4) participated in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial with 0.15-, 0.30-, and 0.60-mg/kg b.i.d. doses of MPH. Parent and teacher behavioral ratings, as well as cognitive task performance, were assessed at each dose. RESULTS: Relative to placebo, most children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and mental retardation showed some degree of behavioral and cognitive improvement with MPH treatment. However, fewer of these children made substantial gains (>30% improvement, relative to placebo) with MPH treatment. At the highest dose, 55% of the children showed substantial behavioral gains and 46% made substantial gains in cognitive task performance. However, there was substantial independence between changes in behavior and changes in cognitive performance. CONCLUSIONS: At the 0.60-mg/kg MPH dose, more children showed substantial cognitive and behavioral gains than those who showed substantial declines in a ratio of more than 5:1. However, it may be prudent to assess cognitive change as well as behavioral effects because improvements in the former do not necessarily forecast improvements in the latter in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and mental retardation.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗

Placement practices in specialized foster homes and small group homes for persons with mental retardation.

Resident functional and personal characteristics (e.g., gender, race, age, and level of mental retardation), placement histories, and projected placements of a nationally representative sample of 336 persons with mental retardation living in a total of 181 small, specialized foster care homes and group homes with 6 or fewer residents were compared. In addition, the extent to which resident characteristics differentiate between persons placed in specialized foster care homes or small group homes was assessed. Results indicate that there are some differences in resident characteristics across facility type, including communication and toileting skills, age, and mobility. Overall, results showed that small foster and group homes successfully serve a variety of people and that placement generally lasts for several years.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Olfactory bulb mitral cell dendritic pruning abnormalities in a mouse model of the Fragile-X mental retardation syndrome: further support for FMRP's involvement in dendritic development.

The Fragile-X mental retardation syndrome is the leading form of inherited mental retardation. Dendritic analysis in a mouse model (FraX) found abnormal pruning in somatosensory cortex. To further characterize dendritic abnormalities and assess their occurrence in other brain regions, we examined mitral cells in FraX mice olfactory bulbs. FraX mice exhibited dendritic abnormalities consistent with somatosensory cortex, suggesting that deficient pruning is found in multiple brain regions.

Animals↗

Transitional employment training for SSI recipients with mental retardation.

Transitional employment training is a promising method for assisting persons with mental retardation to gain and hold regular marketplace jobs. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has concluded a large scale demonstration project in which this training was provided to recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) with mental retardation. This article introduces the concepts and practices of transitional employment and presents findings of the SSA demonstration derived from observation of demonstration operations. A followup article will discuss the effects of the demonstration services on the employment, earnings, and SSI payments of the trainees, as derived from analysis of SSI administrative records and other quantitative data.

Adult↗

Cytogenetic investigations in mentally retarded and normal males from 14 families with the fragile site at Xq28. Results of folic acid treatment on fra(X) expression.

Lymphocyte cultures from 27 mentally retarded males aged 1 year to 77 years, and from 11 normal brothers from a total of 14 families with the fragile X segregating have been examined cytogenetically employing three different culture methods including methods for induction of fra(X) by FUdR (flourodeoxyuridine) or MTX (methotrexate). All mentally retarded males showed unequivocal fra(X) expression. No statistically significant correlation between fra(X) expression and age could be demonstrated. No enhancement with FUdR was observed. Fibroblast cultures from 10 retarded males expressed fra(X) in a dose-response relationship to increasing concentrations of FUdR. None of the normal males showed fra(X). In vivo folic acid treatment of seven mentally retarded males resulted in marked reduction in fra(X) expression in lymphocyte cultures grown in medium 199. However, reinduction was achieved by FUdR or MTX, except in one case who temporarily received very high doses of folic acid.

Adolescent↗

Prevalence of obesity in adults with mental retardation: implications for health promotion and disease prevention.

The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of obesity among 364 adults (mean age, 36.8 years) with mental retardation living in four residential settings. Skinfold measurements were used to measure adiposity. Results indicated that rates of obesity were significantly higher among females, subjects with severe mental retardation had the lowest overall rates of obesity, and the institutional group had the lowest incidence of obesity. These findings indicate a need for more investigation into the caloric intake and energy expenditure of adults with mental retardation, specifically focusing on level of retardation and living arrangement.

Adolescent↗

An analysis of Snoezelen equipment to reinforce persons with severe or profound mental retardation.

Systematically developing methods of reinforcement for persons with severe and profound mental retardation has only recently received a good deal of attention. This topic is important since professionals in the field often have difficulty identifying sufficient numbers of positive stimuli. Snoezelen equipment as reinforcement for individuals with severe and profound mental retardation was evaluated because of the promise it holds for this population. Types of Snoezelen equipment which were most often approached and most reinforcing for these persons were identified. Implications of the findings for future assessment and treatment are discussed.

Adult↗

Development and psychometric analysis of an indirect measure of attitudes toward individuals with mental retardation using the error-choice method.

The Test of Knowledge About Mental Retardation consists of 20 error-choice items requiring respondents to select one of four incorrect alternatives. The true purpose of the test (measurement of attitudes) is disguised by the inclusion of 20 items of general knowledge about mental retardation. Analyses of data indicated satisfactory item characteristics, adequate reliability and homogeneity, and preliminary support for criterion-related validity. The test should be useful for investigating the attitudes of service providers whose responses to a questionnaire may be biased by respondent sensitization and social desirability responding.

Adolescent↗

Carotenemia in mentally retarded children. I. Incidence and etiology.

The incidence and etiology of carotenemia in mentally retarded children were examined. Fasting serum carotenoid and vitamin A levels were measured in 77 profoundly mentally retarded children aged 3 to 19 years who were receiving a standard diet containing 2000 IU of carotene (expressed in terms of vitamin A activity) and supplemented by 2000 IU of vitamin A daily. Seventeen of the 77 patients had serum carotenoid levels of more than 300 mug./ml. The particulate size of food had a significant inverse relationship to serum carotenoid levels and was an important factor in determining carotenemia. The serum vitamin A level was also higher in children on homogenized diet than in those on pureed feeds, while the lowest level was noted among patients on a chopped diet. Besides particulate size of food, other factors may also be operative in determining carotenemia.

Body Weight↗