Neuro Developmental Disorders

Question 1

What is ADHD? State the casual factors and treatment

Answer 1

ADHD is characterized by persistent patterns of inattentiveness, impulsivity and or hyperactivity that causes impairment in social life, academics or occupation. The onset is during childhood and patterns must be inconsistent with developmental level

Causes: mainly biological smaller total brain volume, delay in maturation especially prefrontal regions involved in attention and impulse

Treatment: stimulant medication such as Ritalin, non stimulants like adderall and psychological interventions like techniques to decrease distractibility

Question 2

What is a Neurodevelopment disorder

Answer 2

-Developmental deficiencies or differences in brain processes (significant delays that persist into adulthood)
- onset in the developmental period
- impairment in social, occupational or academics

Question 3

What is Autism? Describe casual factors and treatment

Answer 3

Autism is defined by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction across multiple contexts and restrictive repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities.

Causes: decreased activity in the medial prefrontal cortex ( associated with understanding mental state of others) and increased activity in the central occipitotemporal regions (object perception)

Treatment: ESDM intensive behavioral work focused on interpersonal exchanges, verbal and nonverbal communication as well as adult sensitivity to child’s cues

Question 4

What is Tourette’s syndrome? Describe causal factors and treatment

Answer 4

An extreme tic disorder characterized by multiple motor and verbal patterns. Tics are preceded by an urge or sensation that is relieved by the execution of the tic. Tic onset before 18 and have persisted for over a year

Causes: undetermined but believed to have biological basis, tics mostly psychological basis (self consciousness, tension in social situations)

Treatment: anti psychotics and noradrenergic, HRT (habit reversal training)

Question 5

What is Intellectual Developmental Disorder? What are causal factors and treatment?

Answer 5

Deficits in general mental abilities such as reasoning, problem solving, planning, abstract thinking, judgement, academic learning, and learning from experience. Onset before 18

Causes: genetic chromosomal factors,infections and toxic agents, physical injury that cause brain damage,malnutrition, radiation etc

Treatment: special education