University Hospital Center Vaudois (CHUV) Researchers Yield New Data on Scurvy (Case Report: Scurvy-a modifiable cause of psychiatric refractoriness and lithium pharmacokinetic abnormalities in autism).

The article focuses on a case study highlighting the relationship between scurvy, a severe vitamin C deficiency, and psychiatric symptoms in an 18-year-old woman with autism spectrum disorder and severe intellectual disability. The patient exhibited significant behavioral dysregulation and inadequate response to psychotropic medications until a diagnosis of profound vitamin C deficiency was made, leading to high-dose supplementation. This intervention resulted in rapid behavioral improvement and increased serum lithium levels, suggesting a potential interaction between vitamin C and lithium pharmacokinetics. The research emphasizes the need for nutritional screening in individuals with restrictive diets to prevent misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment in psychiatric settings. [Extracted from the article]