neurodevelopmental disorders Flashcards
What is the definition of Intellectual Developmental Disorder?
A disorder characterized by deficits in intellectual functioning and adaptive functioning that arise during the developmental period.
This includes challenges in meeting developmental and socio-cultural standards for personal independence and social responsibility.
What are the three criteria for diagnosing Intellectual Disability?
- Deficits in intellectual functioning
- Deficits in adaptive functioning
- Onset of deficits during the developmental period
These criteria must be met for a formal diagnosis.
What is the significance of standardized intelligence testing in diagnosing Intellectual Disability?
Individuals typically score two or more standard deviations below the population mean.
This is determined through clinical assessment and standardized tests.
How is the severity of Intellectual Disability classified?
Using specifiers: mild, moderate, severe, or profound.
Severity is based on adaptive functioning in conceptual, social, and practical domains.
What percentage of Intellectual Disability cases have a known cause?
25 to 50%
This indicates that a significant proportion of cases remain unexplained.
What are the primary causes of Intellectual Disability with known etiology?
- 80 to 85% due to prenatal factors
- 5 to 10% due to perinatal factors
- 5 to 10% due to postnatal factors
Prenatal factors include chromosomal and genetic causes.
What are the most common chromosomal causes of Intellectual Disability?
- Down’s syndrome
- Fragile X syndrome
These are the leading genetic causes associated with the disorder.
True or False: Fetal alcohol syndrome is the most common preventable cause of Intellectual Disability.
True
This highlights the importance of prenatal care and avoiding alcohol during pregnancy.
Fill in the blank: Individuals with Intellectual Disability typically score _______ on standardized intelligence tests.
two or more standard deviations below the population mean
This scoring criterion is essential for diagnosis.
What are the two main criteria required for the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?
- Deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts
- Restrictive and repetitive patterns of behaviors, interests, and activities
What are some examples of deficits in social communication and interaction in individuals with ASD?
- Impaired social-emotional reciprocity
- Impaired nonverbal communication
- Impaired ability to develop and maintain relationships
What are some examples of restrictive and repetitive behaviors associated with ASD?
- Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements
- Insistence on sameness
- Restricted or fixated interests
- Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input
When must the onset of symptoms occur for a diagnosis of ASD?
During the early developmental period
What factors contribute to a better prognosis for individuals with ASD?
- IQ over 70
- Functional language skills by age five
- Absence of comorbid mental health problems
What are some associated features of ASD?
- Intellectual and language impairments
- Self-injurious behaviors
- Motor abnormalities
- Disruptive/challenging behaviors
True or False: ASD is diagnosed more frequently in females than in males.
False
What is the reported prevalence rate of ASD in the population?
1 to 2% of the population
What are some non-genetic risk factors for developing ASD?
- Male gender
- Birth before 26 weeks of gestation
- Advanced parental age
- Exposure to environmental toxins during prenatal development
What brain abnormalities are associated with ASD?
- Accelerated brain growth starting around 6 months of age
- Abnormalities in the cerebellum, corpus callosum, and amygdala
What neurotransmitter levels are often found to be abnormal in individuals with ASD?
- Lower-than-normal levels of serotonin in the brain
- Elevated levels of serotonin in the blood
What are the primary goals for the treatment of children with ASD?
- Minimize core symptoms
- Maximize independence by promoting functional skills
- Reduce or eliminate interfering behaviors
What is Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI)?
An evidence-based treatment using principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA)
What is a notable method of EIBI developed by Lovaas?
Providing at least 40 hours per week of behavioral interventions for young children with ASD
What have research outcomes indicated about EIBI?
It has the greatest positive impact on intelligence and language acquisition
What types of medications are typically prescribed for individuals with ASD?
- Psychostimulants for ADHD
- SSRIs for depression and anxiety
- Atypical antipsychotics for irritability and disruptive behaviors
Fill in the blank: ASD is diagnosed three to four times more often in ______ than in ______.
males; females
What is the significance of the concordance rates for monozygotic twins in relation to ASD?
Concordance rates range from 69 to 95%, indicating strong genetic influence
What does the research by Dawson et al. (2002) reveal about face recognition in children with autism?
Children with autism reacted similarly to novel and familiar faces, unlike typically developing children
What findings did Fridenson-Hayo et al. (2016) report regarding emotion recognition in children with autism?
Deficits in recognizing basic and complex emotions in all expression modalities
What has extensive research failed to establish a link between?
ASD and childhood vaccinations
What is the primary characteristic of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
A pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity
ADHD symptoms must persist for at least six months and interfere with functioning.
What are the age criteria for the onset of ADHD symptoms?
Before 12 years of age
How many symptoms of inattention are required for an ADHD diagnosis in children under 17?
At least six symptoms
What are two types of symptoms associated with ADHD?
- Inattention
- Hyperactivity-impulsivity
List three symptoms of inattention in ADHD.
- Doesn’t listen when spoken to
- Fails to pay close attention to details
- Is easily distracted by extraneous stimuli
List three symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity in ADHD.
- Talks excessively
- Has trouble waiting his/her turn
- Interrupts or intrudes on others
What are the three subtypes of ADHD?
- Predominantly inattentive presentation
- Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentation
- Combined presentation
What is the prevalence of ADHD among youth aged 3 to 17 years in the United States?
Most prevalent diagnosed disorder
How does the prevalence of ADHD differ by gender in childhood?
Two times more common in males than females
What is the male-to-female ratio of ADHD in adulthood?
About 1.6:1
What changes occur in ADHD symptoms during adulthood?
- Decrease in excessive motor activity
- Changes in impulsivity behaviors
- Continuation of inattention
What is the most common comorbid disorder found in children with ADHD?
Oppositional defiant disorder
What brain regions are associated with impairments in ADHD?
- Prefrontal cortex
- Striatum
- Thalamus
What neurotransmitters are linked to the cognitive and behavioral symptoms of ADHD?
- Dopamine
- Norepinephrine
What is the heritability estimate for ADHD based on twin studies?
76%
What are some prenatal factors linked to ADHD?
- Low birth weight
- Premature birth
- Maternal smoking or alcohol use during pregnancy
What is the recommended treatment for preschool children with ADHD?
Parent- and teacher-administered behavioral interventions
What is the first-line treatment for adults with ADHD?
Medication
True or False: Treatment with psychostimulants in childhood increases the risk for later substance use disorders.
False
What interventions are recommended for elementary and middle-school children with ADHD?
A combination of medication and behavioral interventions
What psychosocial interventions have beneficial effects for adults with ADHD?
- Cognitive behavior therapy
- Other psychosocial interventions
What is a tic as defined by the DSM-5-TR?
A sudden, rapid, recurrent, nonrhythmic motor movement or vocalization
This definition emphasizes the involuntary nature of tics.
List examples of motor tics.
- Eye blinking
- Facial grimacing
- Shoulder shrugging
- Echopraxia
Motor tics involve physical movements.
List examples of vocal tics.
- Throat clearing
- Barking
- Echolalia
Vocal tics involve sounds or vocalizations.
What are the diagnostic criteria for Tourette’s disorder?
At least one vocal tic and multiple motor tics that have persisted for more than one year and began before age 18
Tics may occur together or at different times and may wax and wane in frequency.
What is required for a diagnosis of persistent (chronic) motor or vocal tic disorder?
One or more motor or vocal tics that have persisted for more than one year and began before age 18
This diagnosis does not require both types of tics.
What is the criterion for provisional tic disorder?
One or more motor and/or vocal tics that have been present for less than one year and began before age 18
Provisional tic disorder indicates a shorter duration of symptoms.
At what age does the onset of tics typically occur?
Between four and six years of age
Early identification is crucial for management.
When does the severity of tics ordinarily peak?
Between 10 and 12 years of age
Monitoring during these ages is important for treatment planning.
What is the most common comorbid disorder for Tourette’s disorder?
ADHD
Comorbidity can complicate diagnosis and treatment.
What biological factors are associated with Tourette’s disorder?
- Dopamine overactivity
- Smaller-than-normal caudate nucleus
- Heredity
These factors contribute to the understanding of the disorder’s etiology.
What types of medication are used to treat Tourette’s disorder?
- Antipsychotic drugs (e.g., haloperidol)
- Serotonin for obsessive-compulsive symptoms
- Methylphenidate or clonidine for ADHD
Treatment often requires addressing comorbid conditions.
What behavioral treatment is mentioned for tics?
Comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT)
CBIT includes psychoeducation and various training techniques.
Fill in the blank: The DSM-5-TR distinguishes between three _______.
tic disorders
These disorders are Tourette’s disorder, persistent tic disorder, and provisional tic disorder.
What are communication disorders?
Deficits in language, speech, and communication.
What is childhood-onset fluency disorder?
Also known as stuttering, it involves a disturbance in normal fluency and time patterning of speech.
What are the age parameters for the onset of childhood-onset fluency disorder?
Usually between two and seven years of age.
What percentage of children recover from dysfluency?
Sixty-five to eighty-five percent.
What is a good predictor of persistence or recovery from dysfluency?
The severity of symptoms at age eight.
What are the seven symptoms of childhood-onset fluency disorder?
- Sound and syllable repetitions
- Sound prolongations
- Broken words
- Audible or silent blocking
- Circumlocutions
- Words pronounced with excessive physical tension
- Monosyllabic whole-word repetitions
What is the treatment-of-choice for childhood-onset fluency disorder?
Habit reversal training.
What does habit reversal training incorporate for treating stuttering?
Several strategies including competing response training.
What is a key component of competing response training for stuttering?
Regulated breathing.
True or False: Communication disorders only affect adults.
False.
What is required for the diagnosis of Specific Learning Disorder?
Difficulties related to academic skills indicated by at least one of six symptoms lasting for at least six months despite interventions
Symptoms include inaccurate or slow word reading, difficulty understanding reading, difficulties with spelling, written expression, number sense, calculation, and mathematical reasoning.
What are the six symptoms of Specific Learning Disorder?
- Inaccurate or slow and effortful word reading
- Difficulty understanding the meaning of what is read
- Difficulties with spelling
- Difficulties with written expression
- Difficulties mastering number sense, number facts, or calculation
- Difficulties with mathematical reasoning
These symptoms must last for at least six months despite intervention.
What criteria must be met for the diagnosis of Specific Learning Disorder?
- Academic skills substantially below expected age level
- Interference with academic or occupational performance
- Onset during school-age years
- Not better accounted for by another disorder
Examples of other disorders include uncorrected visual or auditory impairment.
What percentage of school-age children are estimated to have a specific learning disability?
About 5 to 15 percent
Approximately 80% of these children have a reading disorder.
What is the most common type of specific learning disorder?
Reading disorder
Dyslexia is the most common type of reading disorder.
What is dysphonic dyslexia?
The most common type of dyslexia, involving difficulties connecting sounds to letters
Also known as dysphonetic, auditory, and phonological dyslexia.
What is the typical IQ range of individuals with a specific learning disorder?
Average to above-average IQ
Despite their IQ, individuals often have elevated rates of other problems and disorders.
What is the most common comorbid psychiatric disorder found in individuals with Specific Learning Disorder?
ADHD
Studies have shown elevated rates of ADHD among individuals with specific learning disorders.
Fill in the blank: Specific Learning Disorder must have an onset during the _______.
school-age years
True or False: All children with Specific Learning Disorder have below-average IQ.
False
Most individuals with Specific Learning Disorder have average to above-average IQ.
What are the specifiers used for in the diagnosis of Specific Learning Disorder?
To indicate subtype and level of severity
Subtypes include with impairment in reading, written expression, or mathematics.
