Lecture 6 Flashcards
Waddington’s epigenetic landscape
metaphor for how gene regulation modulates development.
ADHD DSM Criteria
6 or more symptoms of inattention and 6 or more symptoms of hyperactivity
ADHD prevalence rates
- 6-10%
- 50% of children referred to mental health clinics are referred for ADHD
- More common in males (3+:1)
ADHD inattention ____ and hyperactivity _____ with age
remains stable, decreases
Brain structures linked to ADHD
- Frontostriatal circuitry (smaller): Prefrontal cortex Basal ganglia Cerebellum - These are associated with executive functions (attention, working memory, response inhibition etc.)
ADHD treatments
- Stimulant Medications (blocking reuptake and facilitating the release of neurotransmitters (norepinephrine & dopamine)
- Behavioural Interventions
- Parental training
- Classroom management
- Summer treatment programs
Limitations of Stimulant Treatment
- Individual differences (20% don’t respond)
- Limited impact on treating functional impairment which is primary reason for why people engage in treatment….
- Does not normalise the behaviour
- Long-term effects?
- Limited parent/teacher satisfaction
ADHD Summarry
- Environment can contribute
- Long-term outcomes of ADHD = substance abuse, criminality, depression
- Combining drugs and behavioural treatments is the best way to treat as of today
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
- Autism
- Asperger’s Syndrome
- Pervasive Development Disorder (PDD)
- Atypical autism
*Difficulties in social communication / repetitive behaviour and narrow interests
ASD affect ___% of the population and are usually diagnosed by the age of ____?
1% and 2-3 years
Structural abnormalities in the Autistic Brain
- Overgrowth in first 2 years of life
- Then, arrested growth
- Possible degeneration later on in life
More attention to ___ than eyes may affect _______ and predict _______
- Mouth
- Neural processing
- Social Deficits
Sex differences in ASD
4: 1 Male to female = Autism
10: 1 = Asperger syndrome
- Due to under-diagnosis of females?
- Biological effects?
Possible causes of Autism?
- Genetic
- High concordance rate amongst MZ twins (60% vs 5% for DZ) - Neurobiological
- Reasons for differences in neurobiology are still unclear
- Require large populations and interview is long - Hormones
- Elevated steroid hormone levels
Treatment of Autism
- Behavioural
- how to take care of themselves etc.
- questionable long term benefits - Medications
- antidepressants/antipsychotics
- don’t really tackle the problem
