Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Question 1

Stereotypy

Answer 1

Repetition of meaningless gestures or movements

Question 2

Below what IQ score is considered intellectually disabled?

Answer 2

+/- 75 IQ

Question 3

What criteria must be met to have an intellectual disability?

Answer 3

Deficits in intellectual functions

Deficits in adaptive functioning

Onset during developmental period

Question 4

What are the problems with using IQ tests for intelligence?

Answer 4

Doesn’t account for sensory, motor, and language deficits

Ppl who are sheltered may have biased performance bcuz environment is unfamiliar and may be overwhelming

Question 5

Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales

Answer 5

Evaluates level of support needed in each domain of functioning:
- Conceptual
- Social
- Practical

Question 6

What are the interviewing issues for intellectual disabilities?

Answer 6

Cloak of competence: Aspects of disorder are hidden bcuz of “normal” appearance

Acquiescence: Tendency of ppl w/ developmental disorder to say yes in interviews (social desirability or linguistic limitations)

Interviewing family members can give another perspective but may be biased

Question 7

Microarrays

Answer 7

Used to detect small pieces (copy number variations, CNV) of chromosomes that are missing/duplicated

Question 8

True or false?
Single gene disorders are less common than multiple gene disorders

Answer 8

True

Question 9

Zigler’s Two-Group Approach

Answer 9

Organic group - Clear biological basis
- Severe ID

Cultural-familial group - No clear organic basis
- Mild ID
- Can come from some relatives w/ ID, SES, or environment

Question 10

Types of down syndrome

Answer 10

Most common is trisomy 21 (extra pair on chromosome 21)

Translocation (part of chromosome 21 breaks off and attaches to another)

Mosaicism (cell division occurs unevenly, some cells have 45 and some have 47)

Question 11

Ways to test for down syndrome:
Amniocentesis
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS)

Answer 11

11-18th week of pregnancy, amniotic fluid withdrawn

10-12th week of pregnancy, gets cells from placenta

Question 12

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

Answer 12

Metabolic disorder
Liver enzyme on chromosome 12 is inactive, causing inability to metabolize phenylalanine
- Builds up in brain to toxic levels, causing ID

Can be detected through blood test shortly after birth
- Low-phenylalanine diet can be used to prevent ID

Question 13

Fragile X Syndrome

Answer 13

More common in boys (second X helps cancel out on girls)

Repeated CGG sequences on X chromosome reduces production of protein for brain, causing ID

Question 14

Rubella

Answer 14

Maternal infection causing ID
During first 3 months of pregnancy

Question 15

HIV infection

Answer 15

Transmitted from mother to baby during pregnancy, at delivery, or through breast milk
Causes ID

Question 16

Fetal alcohol syndrome disorder (FASD)

Answer 16

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy
Causes atypical facial features and ID, attention problems, hyperactivity lasting a lifetime

Question 17

Thalidomide

Answer 17

Prescribed for nausea in the past
Caused limb malformations in infants

Question 18

What did Leo Kenner discover?

Answer 18

Autism as a childhood disorder

Question 19

True or false?
Autism is more prevalent in males than females only at higher IQ levels

Answer 19

True

Question 20

What is the range of intellectual abilities of most ppl with ASD?

Answer 20

Most have IQ scores below average, but not necessarily in the range for ID

Question 21

Echolalia
Pronoun reversal, Theory of mind
(Autism)

Answer 21

Repeat another person’ words/phrases using same intonation

Refer to themselves in third person (lacking theory of mind)

Question 22

Savants

Answer 22

Ppl w/ autism (low proportion)
Had exceptional skills in math, music, art, etc

Question 23

Asperger’s disorder

Answer 23

Now under autism, used to be separate

Hard to detect bcuz tend to be higher functioning
Tend to display odd behavs in social interactions

Question 24

True or false?
Male protective effect - Harder to trigger autism in boys than girls (threshold for activating autism is higher in males)

Answer 24

False

Female protective effect - Harder to trigger autism in girls than boys (threshold for activating autism is higher in females)

Question 25

What are the possible multiple causes of autism?

Answer 25

Problems in early development (prenatal complications)

Genetic influences (chromosomal anomalies, tuber sclerosis)

Brain abnormalities (complication during fetal brain development)

Disorder of risk and adaptation

Question 26

Treatments and interventions of autism

Answer 26

Psychotropic medication
- Regulates neurotransmitters
- Can help reduce aggression, repetitive behavs, distractibility

Applied behavioural analysis
- Can help maximize independence and quality of life
- Used operant conditioning
- Trains for social competence

Question 27

Four essential features of diagnosing learning disorders

Answer 27

Persistent difficulties learning and using key academic skills despite interventions

Academic skills below average for age

Learning difficulties in school years

Not explained by ID or another neurological condition

Question 28

Dyslexia

Answer 28

Impairment in phonological processing
Difficulty connecting letters and phonemes
Lacks phonological awareness (trouble with rhyming, counting syllables, manipulating words)

Hereditary

Question 29

Dyscalculia

Answer 29

Deficits in processing numerical quantities
May reflect deficits in working memory

Difficult to diagnose - May be mistaken for anxiety towards math performance

Question 30

Dysgraphia

Answer 30

Impairment in writing fluency, spelling, and written expression

Deficits in many neuropsychological domains (like processing speed, WM, executive functioning)

Question 31

Response-to-intervention approach

Answer 31

Taught to children at risk of developing learning disorder
Starts off low intensity but becomes more intense if child still continues to struggle