Internationally adopted children seem to be more likely to show ADHD-like symptoms than non-adopted children. The aims of this study were to explore the existence of ADHD-like symptoms and/or diagnosis in a sample of internationally adopted children depending on their country of origin and to describe the links that may exist between the display of these symptoms and observed narrative-based attachment patterns. A Catalan sample of 58 adopted children aged 7-8 (24 from Eastern Europe, 23 from China and 11 from Ethiopia) was assessed with The Behavioral Assessment System for Children to identify ADHD-like symptoms, and the Friends and Family Interview (FFI) to identify children's' attachment patterns. Results indicated that children adopted from Eastern Europe showed a trend toward more hyperactivity and significantly more attention problems than girls adopted from China. Children with a secure attachment showed significantly less attention problems and a trend toward less hyperactivity. More studies focusing on the etiology and treatment of these symptoms in adopted children are needed.

The 22q11.2 region is susceptible to chromosomal rearrangements, leading to various types of congenital malformation and mental retardation. The most common anomaly is 22q11.2 microdeletion, associated with DiGeorge/Velocardiofacial syndrome (DG/VCFS). Recently the microduplication 22q11.2 syndrome has been identified. Some clinical features in patients with this new chromosomal disorder present a substantial overlap with DG/VCFS. The aim of this hospital-based study was to evaluate the incidence of deletions and duplications on 22q11.2 in patients with DG/VCFS features. We investigated a group of 295 patients with widely variable manifestations associated with DG/VCFS. Along with the clinical diagnoses different anomalies were noted such as conotruncal cardiac anomaly, velopharyngeal insufficiency, characteristic facial dysmorphic features, language impairment, developmental delay/learning difficulties, and immunologic anomalies or thymic hypoplasia. Laboratory studies included conventional cytogenetic and FISH testing. Metaphase and interphase cells were analyzed for the presence of 22q11.2 microdeletion or microduplication. There were 12 patients who carried 22q11.2 microdeletion and no microduplication in the region was identified. Other chromosomal anomalies were reported in five patients with an overlapped DG/VCFS phenotype. All patients with 22q11.2 microdeletion showed a characteristic phenotype of DG/VCFS. We did not identify 22q11.2 microduplication, suggesting that this is a rare event in patients with DG/VCFS features.

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A B S T R AC TThe attachment pattern of a sample of 168 internationally adopted children was explored in this study using the semi-structured Friends and Family Interview. The pattern was analysed in relation to the development of adaptive skills as an expression of the children's resilience.The secure attachment pattern rates were slightly lower and the insecure attachment patterns were considerably higher than those of normative samples from the previous studies. The children from Eastern Europe demonstrated a more insecure attachment pattern (odds ratio [OR] = 2.46; confidence interval [CI] = 1.23-3.94), and their scores on the adaptive skills scales were lower than the scores of children from other countries (OR = 2.62; 95% CI = 1.02-6.72). These results help to identify the groups at risk of failing to develop secure attachment patterns and appropriate adaptive skills, and should provide valuable information for designing effective interventions.

Fragile X syndrome is the most common inherited form of familial mental retardation. It results from a (CGG)n trinucleotide expansion in the FMR1 gene leading to the typical Martin-Bell phenotype. Clinical features vary depending on age and sex. Expansion of a (CCG)n repeat in the FMR2 gene corresponds to the FRAXE fragile site which lies distal to FRAXA and is also associated with mental retardation, but it is less frequent and lacks a consistent phenotype. Analysis of repeat expansions in these two genes allows the molecular diagnosis of these different entities. We report here the screening of the FRAXA and FRAXE mutations in 222 unrelated mentally retarded individuals attending Spanish special schools. PCR and/or Southern blotting methods were used. We detected full mutations in the FMR1 gene in 11 boys (4.9%) and 1 boy (0.5%) with a CCG repeat expansion in the FMR2 gene. The latter shows mild mental retardation with psychotic behaviour and no remarkable physical traits. Molecular studies revealed a mosaicism for methylation in the FMR2 gene. This case supports the observation that expansions greater than 100 repeats can be partially methylated and cause the phenotype.