Getting older with intellectual disabilities: clinical perspective on mental health and cognitive dysfunction progression.

Elderly people with intellectual disabilities represent one of the fastest growing groups of the special needs populations. This is mainly the consequence of improved and adaptive care standards as well as better general medical treatments. Living longer also carries more mental health problems, including those related to cognitive dysfunction and dementia. Such patients are often treated with antipsychotics and mood stabilizers, with main reason to use of these drugs being „sedation". At least some of them may benefit form cholinesterase inhibitors and / or memantine, although evidence form clinical trials is scarce. Also antidepressants, particularly those blocking serotonin and / or norepinephrine transporters are probably underused. Importantly, understanding behavioral and psychological problem of these patients within the frame of the biopsychosocial paradigm might be useful, leading to potentially effective and harmless nonpharmacological interventions. Particularly, the concepts of attention to frustrated needs and reactions to environmental change may prove to be fruitful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]