13. Neurodevelopmental disorders

Neurodevelopmental disorders

a group of conditions with onset in the developmental period, typically before school age, characterized by developmental deficits or differences in brain processes that impair personal, social, academic, or occupational functioning, and that frequently co-occur with one another and other mental disorders

Developmental psychopathology

the study of how disorders emerge and change over time, emphasizing childhood due to rapid brain development and acquisition of social, emotional, and cognitive skills

Echolalia

repetition of speech that is a normal intermediate step in language development, and in autism spectrum disorder reflects delayed language skills rather than a core symptom

Childhood-Onset Fluency Disorder

A disturbance in speech fluency that includes a number of problems with speech, such as repeating syllables or words, prolonging certain sounds, making obvious pauses, or substituting words to replace ones that are difficult to articulate.

Regulated-breathing method

a promising behavioral treatment in which the person is instructed to stop speaking when a stuttering episode occurs and then to take a deep breath (exhale, then inhale) before proceeding (Onslow, Jones, O'Brian, 2012).

Altered auditory feedback

(electronically changing speech feedback to people who stutter) can improve speech, as can using forms of self-monitoring, in which people modify their own speech for the words they stutter

Language Disorder

Limited speech in all situations. Expressive language (what is said is significantly below receptive language (what is understood

the latter is usually average.

Social (Pragmatic Communication Disorder)

Difficulties with the social aspects of verbal and nonverbal communica-tion, including verbosity, prosody, excessive switching of topics, and dominating conversations (Adams et al., 2012). Does not have the restricted and repetitive behaviors found in ASD.

Tourette’s Disorder

Involuntary motor movements (tics), such as head twitch-ing, or vocalizations, such as grunts, that often occur in rapid succession, come on suddenly, and happen in idiosyncratic or stereotyped ways. Vocal tics often include the involuntary repetition of obscenities.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by impairing levels of inattention, disorganization, and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity

Inattention and disorganization

inability to stay on task, seeming not to listen, and losing materials necessary for tasks at levels inconsistent with age or developmental level

Hyperactivity-impulsivity

entails overactivity, fidgeting, inability to stay seated, intruding into others’ activities, and inability to wait, excessive for age or developmental level

5.2%

ADHD prevalence - approximate % of children worldwide are estimated to have ADHD

2-3x

ADHD gender difference - boys are diagnosed with ADHD how many times more often than girls

3-4 y.o.

Course of ADHD- symptoms often appear around this age, intensify during school years, and frequently persist into adulthood with shifting symptom focus

DAT1

Genetic predisposition in ADHD- strong genetic influence involving multiple genes, particularly those affecting the dopamine system such as _

Copy number variants (CNVs)

genetic mutations that add or delete genes and may disrupt brain development in ADHD

Behavioral interventions

aim to improve academic performance, reduce disruptive behavior, and enhance social skills. These programs often involve reinforcement systems that reward positive behavior and, at times, utilize consequences for misbehavior

Social skills training

a crucial aspect of psychosocial interventions, teaches children with ADHD how to navigate social situations effectively. This involves equipping them with the skills needed to communicate appropriately with their peers, fostering social interactions, and developing positive relationships.

Cognitive-behavioral intervention

treatment for adults with ADHD focused on reducing distractibility and improving organizational and executive functioning skills

Stimulant medications

ADHD medications such as methylphenidate and amphetamines that reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity and improve attention

Non-stimulant medications

These drugs have proven helpful in managing core ADHD symptoms without the potential for abuse associated with stimulants.

Psychopharmacogenetics

the study of how genes influence drug response, holds exciting promise for personalized medicine. By understanding an individual's genetic makeup, clinicians could potentially tailor medications to better address their unique needs.

genetic screening

potentially reveal other genetic predispositions, raising concerns about privacy and confidentiality. This information could be misused by schools, employers, or insurance companies

Multimodal Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (MTA) study

a large-scale research initiative, compared four treatment groups - community care, medication management, intensive behavioral therapy, and a combination of medication and behavioral therapy.

Specific learning disorder

a disorder characterized by academic performance significantly below expectations based on age, IQ, and education, also known as unexpected underachievement

unexpected underachievement

Specific learning disorder is also known as _

DSM-5 criteria for specific learning disorder

academic skills substantially below those of peers with similar age, cognitive ability, and educational background, not due to sensory deficits or poor instruction

Dyslexia

an alternative term used to refer to a pattern of learning difficulties characterized by problems with accurate or fluent word recognition, poor decoding, and poor spelling abilities.

Dyscalculia

an alternative term used to refer to a pattern of difficulties characterized by problems processing numerical information, learning arithmetic facts, and performing accurate or fluent calculations.

5-15%

Prevalence percentage of Specific Learning Disorders of youth across ages and cultures

Reading disorders

most common among specific learning disorder

5-6%

prevalence of mathematics disorders

Direct Instruction

uses systematic instruction and teaching for mastery, with constant assessment and modification of plans based on student progress.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting how individuals perceive and socialize with others

Restricted and repetitive behaviors

stereotyped movements, intense interests, insistence on sameness, and ritualistic behaviors seen in ASD

25%

Approx percentage of individuals with ASD lacking sufficient speech to communicate effectively

Maintenance of Sameness

Intense preference for consistency and routines, becoming upset with changes.

4.5

1

Oxytocin

a neurochemical associated with social bonding that is found at lower levels in children with ASD and may improve emotional processing when administered

amygdala

a brain region involved in emotional processing, may be affected in ASD, leading to excessive anxiety and social withdrawal.

Savant skills

the portrayal of exceptional mental abilities which does not represent the full range of ASD. it is estumated that only ⅓ of ASD people have them

Intellectual developmental disorder (IDD)

a condition characterized by significantly below-average intellectual and adaptive functioning evident in childhood

Adaptive functioning

effectiveness in meeting standards of personal independence and social responsibility in conceptual, social, and practical domains

“mental retardation”

former term of “intellectual disability,”

Down syndrome

the most common chromosomal cause of intellectual disability, caused by an extra 21st chromosome (trisomy 21)

trisomy 21

chromosome involved in people with Down Syndrome

Fragile X syndrome

an X-linked second common genetic disorder causing intellectual disability, primarily affecting males due to mutation on the X chromosome

Treatment of IDD

skill-based interventions aimed at increasing independence, communication, and community participation rather than biological treatmen