Down syndrome (DS) is the leading genetic cause of intellectual disability globally, affecting about 1 in every 800 births. Individuals with DS often face various neuropsychiatric conditions alongside intellectual disabilities due to altered brain development. Despite the diverse phenotypic expressions of DS, typical physical characteristics frequently influence language development and acquisition. EEG studies have identified abnormal oscillatory patterns in individuals with DS. Emerging interventions targeting the enhancement of gamma (40 Hz) neuronal oscillations show potential for improving brain electrical activity and cognitive functions in this population. However, effective cognitive interventions for DS remain scarce. Extensive research indicates that transcranial photobiomodulation (t-PBM) with near-infrared (NIR) light can penetrate deeply into the cerebral cortex, modulate cortical excitability, and enhance cerebral perfusion and oxygenation. Furthermore, t-PBM has been shown to improve cognitive functions such as language, attention, inhibition, learning, and memory, including working memory. This study presents the rationale and design of an ongoing randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial aimed at assessing the effectiveness of t-PBM using NIR light in enhancing the language abilities of individuals with DS.

To this day, there exists skepticism about the reliability and clinical utility of the diagnostic criteria and classification of schizoaffective disorder. In addition, the treatment of schizoaffective disorder, especially of treatment-resistant cases, has been minimally investigated. As a result, formulating official treatment guidelines for schizoaffective disorder has been challenging. We present a case of a 27-year-old female, diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, for whom, for over 5 years, trials of traditional treatments, to include psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, and electroconvulsive therapy, were either partially effective or discontinued due to intolerable side effects. The subsequent off-label use of lumateperone led to an adequate response. Lumateperone is an atypical antipsychotic, approved by the Food and Drug Administration for schizophrenia and bipolar depression in adults. Interestingly, it has a similar structure and mechanism of action to paliperidone, the only Food and Drug Administration-approved medication for schizoaffective disorder. Through this case report, as an example of lumateperone’s effectiveness and tolerability, as well as a literature review of its pharmacodynamics, we make the case that lumateperone emerges as a promising option for schizoaffective disorder, especially treatment-resistant cases.