Personality Development and Familial Dysautonomia

The study sought to establish baselines for personality and frequency of psychopathology in familial dysautonomia (FD). Fifty FD patients, aged 6 to 28 years, served as subjects. FD subjects in all age ranges manifest neurotic patterns, but show no greater incidence of more severe pathology than is found in the general population. the arrested psychologic development seen in FD is described, together with the phenomenon of periodic lapses in judgment. The organic impairment of cognitive functions is discussed. Recommendations for treatment are proposed.