Psychotropic medications: neurodevelopmental and comorbid anxiety disorders

Comorbid mental disorders are common among patients with neurodevelopmental conditions and/or intellectual disability and psychotropic drug prescribing may be warranted in some patients. This session commences with an overview of potential benefits and risks relating to psychotropic drug prescribing in adult patients with these conditions, continues with consideration of the importance of involving those with lived experience expertise in co-developing research protocols and implementing research studies, and concludes with the initial findings from a recently-completed placebo-controlled trial of SSRI treatment for anxiety symptoms in individuals with autistic spectrum conditions.

Learning objectives

By attending this session you will gain:

• Increased familiarity with approaches to judicious psychotropic drug prescribing in adult patients with intellectual disabilities
• Extended understanding of the co-development of research design, implementation and dissemination with individuals with expertise by experience
• Updated knowledge on evidence relating to the effectiveness and acceptability of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in managing anxiety in patients with autistic spectrum disorders.

Speakers

Chair:

Professor Shoumitro Deb. Imperial College London, London

Mr Jack Welch, University of Bristol, Bristol

Professor Dheeraj Rai, University of Bristol, Bristol

Availability

This webinar is part of the Congress webinar 2025 package. If you attended all four days of Congress, you will have access to these as part of your Congress package. Otherwise the Congress webinar 2025 package can be purchased below.