Joint hypermobility and links to psychiatry

"The relationship between JH/HDCT [joint hypermobility / heritable disorders of connective tissue] and mental disorders merits further attention in order to improve current knowledge and clarify a possible common etiology."

There is nothing in the desert and no man needs nothing.

That was the conclusion reached in the paper by Carolina Baeza-Velasco and colleagues [1] looking at the possibility of some interesting connections, outside of just physical presentation, when it comes to the range of conditions headed under the label 'disorders of connective tissue'. The list of diagnoses potentially 'associated' with JH/HDCT by Baeza-Velasco et al is pretty long: "anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia, neurodevelopmental disorders (autism, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder [2], and developmental coordination disorder), eating disorders, personality disorders and substance use/misuse."

From the point-of-view of this blog, mention of the word 'autism' is perhaps the most important suggested link, harking back to some previous discussion of joint hypermobility and gait with the autism spectrum in mind (see here). I'm still pretty interested in seeing this issue followed up in the autism research arena bearing in mind the possible influence of comorbidity as per findings related to the presence of anxiety and joint hypermobility [3] and the question of which comes first: autism or hypermobility?

Music: Glow by Ella Henderson.

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[1] Baeza-Velasco C. et al. Joint hypermobility and the heritable disorders of connective tissue: clinical and empirical evidence of links with psychiatry. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2014 Oct 16. pii: S0163-8343(14)00264-3.

[2] Baeza-Velasco C. et al. Connective tissue problems and attention deficit and hyperactivity. ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders. 2014. 1866-6647

[3] Sanches SB. et al. Anxiety and joint hypermobility association: a systematic review. Rev Bras Psiquiatr. 2012 Jun;34 Suppl 1:S53-60.

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Baeza-Velasco C, Pailhez G, Bulbena A, & Baghdadli A (2014). Joint hypermobility and the heritable disorders of connective tissue: clinical and empirical evidence of links with psychiatry. General hospital psychiatry PMID: 25459977