The use of case studies to illustrate learning and to improve clinical practice is an established method. This case study of a woman with learning disabilities presenting with polycystic ovary syndrome is presented by the authors to explore mental health symptoms associated with the condition.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a condition that affects the ovaries causing them to become bigger than average and affects ovulation and fertility.  Mental health problems,have been associated with the syndrome.

The authors suggest that the findings from the case study case suggest a number of issues that are encountered in clinical practice when diagnosing and managing an individual with mental and physical health issues where there are underlying issues of family dynamics and insecure attachment.

They make a number of treatment recommendations, in particular the need for joint working with endocrinologists. They describe the use of Metformin, an oral diabetes medicine used to help control blood sugar levelsand suggest the need to consider an association with hormonal changes, especially where patients show changing severity of psychosis and poor response to psychiatric medication.

They recommend that a

multimodal intervention package needs to be considered for optimum benefit.

Psychosis in polycystic ovary syndrome – dilemmas in management, Gumber R et al., in Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, Vol. 6 Iss: 2, pp.82 – 88