ch 26. Autism Spectrum Disorders

Question 1

autism spectrum disorder

Answer 1

A broad term including 3 developmental disorders: Asperger’s syndrome, PDD-NOS, and autistic disorder.
They are diagnosed by 2 domains:
1. persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts
2. restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviors, interests, or activities

Question 2

classification ASD

Answer 2

DSM-IV; both domains need to be disturbed
One should already manifest before 3y
Asperger; no language development problems, 1 limitation stereotypical interests/behaviors, 2 limitations social interaction
PDD-NOS; persistent limitaitons social interaciton, but NOT stereotypicial interests/behavior or language problems

Question 3

clinical picture ASD adults challenge bc:

Answer 3

• usually milder forms
• learned to adopt compensating social behavior
• many comorbid disorders
• differential diagnosis w anxiety disorders or schizophrenia is difficult to make (they have social phobia and generate psychotic symptoms)
• a developmental anamnesis is difficult to achieve, but very important

Question 4

common ASD characteristics

Answer 4

• avoid eye contact
• appear stiff and awkward(no use of gestures to support speech) –> aspergers = very formal language
• depend on others
• canoot properly cope with social norms
• little initiative
• short answers
• high value on fixed routins
• focus on details

Question 5

reason for autism epidemic

Answer 5

earlier recognition, broadening of definitions and improved diagnosis, NOT bc of disorder itself

Question 6

ASD which gender mostly

Answer 6

men 4:1 women

Question 7

aetiology and neuropathology ASD

Answer 7

• GENES: 90% genetically determined by combination multiple genes in interaction with environmental factors (unclear which). chr 1,15,17= rigidity, obsessive-compulsive, chr 2,7 = language problems
• CEREBRUM: 20% macrocepahly = 2sd larger head circumference; bc of growth in brain matter in first 2 years, less brain volume after age 5 + less connectivity & corpus collosum volume
• LIMBIC + CEREBELLUM: higher cell densitiy and smaller cells in hippocampus and amygdala + fewer purkinje cells in posterior inferior parts

Question 8

Neurochemistry endocrinology ASD

Answer 8

no clear conclusion
deviation in serotonin production in CNS = reduced
bc of lower need social attachments? according to animal studies

Question 9

2 cognitive explanatory models ASD

Answer 9

• theory of central coherence (cc) Frith (2003); information is not automatically processed globally and according to context, but instead it is processed in a fragmanted way at a local level = stylistic feature
• the model of different executive functions Ozonoff, Pennington and Rogers (1991); abnormal executive functions are responsible for ASD functions. disorders in planning, inhibition, selfmonitoring, generation new ideas & cognitive flexibility

Question 10

descriptive models ASD

Answer 10

-TOM; development TOM skills are delayed. in adults still performed well even though social interaction problems bc 2 hypothesis: 1. TOM tests more simple than complex tasks with perspective taking in which they have trouble in real life
2. little spontaneous TOM use in daily life (=universally accepted)
- The empathizing-systemizing theory Baron-cohen (2002); extreme male brain systemising thinking; social and nonsocial characteristics bc of distinction empathy (weak) and analytical analysis (superior) = supported by correlational studies

Question 11

ASD single disorder?

Answer 11

dsm-5 heterogeneity taken into account; three levels of severity ipv subcategories.
domains behavioral symptoms shortened to 2; social communication & stereotypical interests and behaviors –> language dificiency no longer typical symptom autism