Task 1

Question 1

1. Neurodevelopmental disorders

Answer 1

ADHD; Autism Spectrum disorder; Intellectual disability; Learning, communication, motor disorders

Question 2

2. Neurocognitive disorders

Answer 2

Arise in older age  Involves major and mild disorders as well as delirium.

Question 3

Criterion A

Answer 3

Persistent pattern of (1) inattention and/or (2) hyperactivity that interferes with functioning/development.

Question 4

6 or more…

Answer 4

 Six (or more) of symptoms have persisted for at least 6 months to degree inconsistent with developmental level and has direct negative impact on social and academic/occupational activities. From age 17, five (or more) are required.

Question 5

INATTENTION

Answer 5

1. Overlooks or misses details, work is inaccurate;
2. Difficulty sustaining attention in tasks (lectures, conversations, lengthy reading) or play activities;
3. Does not seem to listen when spoken to directly (mind is elsewhere);
4. Does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish work;
5. Difficulty organizing tasks and activities, poor time management, disorganized work, failure to meet deadlines;
6. Dislikes and avoids engaging in tasks requiring sustained mental effort;
7. Loses things necessary for tasks/activities (materials, books, wallet, keys);
8. Easily distracted by extraneous stimuli  From 17 years old, this may include unrelated thoughts;
9. Often forgetful in daily activities (chores, errands)  From 17 years old, this may include returning calls, paying bills and keeping appointments.

Question 6

HYPERACTIVITY & IMPULSIVITY

Answer 6

1. Often fidgets with or taps hands or feet or squirms in seat;
2. Leaves seat in situations when remaining seated is expected;
3. Runs about/climbs in situations where it is inappropriate;
4. Unable to play or engage in leisure activities quietly;
5. Often ‘on the go’, acting as if ‘driven by motor’, may be experienced by others as being restless and difficult to keep up with;
6. Often talks excessively and is very loud (me );
7. Often blurts out an answer before question has been completed;
8. Often has difficulty waiting his/her turn;
9. Often interrupts or intrudes on others  From 17 years old, may intrude into or take over what others are doing.

Question 7

Combined presentation.

Answer 7

• If criteria for both, thus six or more symptoms, (inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity) are met for past 6 months

Question 8

Predominantly Inattentive presentation.

Answer 8

If criterion for inattention is met but criterion for hyperactivity-impulsivity is not met for past 6 months

Question 9

Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentation.

Answer 9

If criterion for hyperactivity-impulsivity is met but that of inattention is not met for past 6 months

Question 10

CRITERION B

Answer 10

Several inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms were present prior to age 12.

Question 11

CRITERION C

Answer 11

Several inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms are present in two or more settings (home, school, work; with friends or relatives).

Question 12

CRITERION D

Answer 12

There is clear evidence that symptoms interfere with, or reduce quality of social, academic or occupational functioning.

Question 13

CRITERION E

Answer 13

Symptoms do not occur exclusively during schizophrenia or another psychotic disorders and are not better explained by another mental disorder.

Question 14

BIOLOGICAL FACTORS

Answer 14

Abnormal activity was seen in brain areas, including PFC (cognition, motivation and behavior), striatum (WM and planning) and cerebellum (motor behaviors).

 ADHD has heritability estimate of 76% and gene linkage studies revealed a region on chromosome 16 that has the most consistent linkage evidence

Question 15

Immaturity hypothesis

Answer 15

Because cortex continues to develop well into adolescence, brains of children with ADHD are slower to develop, leaving them unable to maintain attention and control their behavior at age-appropriate level.
 Helps explain why in some children the symptoms of ADHD (especially hyperactivity) decline with age.
 Main areas affected by small brain volume are frontal, parietal and occipital lobes + there is a global reduction in grey matter.

Question 16

NTs

Answer 16

Catecholamine neurotransmitters (dopamine and norepinephrine) appear to function abnormally. These NTs play important roles in sustained attention, inhibition of impulses and processing of errors.

Question 17

Gene-Environment interaction

Answer 17

ADHD is strongly tied to these factors. Siblings of children with ADHD are 3-4 times more likely to develop it than siblings of children without it. Also, disorders such as antisocial personality disorder, alcoholism and depression tend to run in families of children with ADHD.
 Twin and adoption studies suggest that what is inherited is a vulnerability to ADHD, which becomes manifest when certain environmental influences are found.
 Molecular genetic studies suggest that genes influencing dop., norad. and serotonin may be abnormal in individuals with ADHD

Question 18

Prenatal and birth factors

Answer 18

ADHD is associated with low birth weight, premature delivery and difficult delivery leading to oxygen deprivation.
 Moderate-to-severe drinking or heavy use of nicotine by mothers during pregnancy can lead to kinds of behavioral inhibition deficits.
 Small-to-moderate risk associated with exposure to lead during childhood including through ingesting lead-based paint.

Question 19

Diet

Answer 19

Western diet is full of fat, sodium, sugar and food additives (= associated with greater symptoms of hyperactivity).
 Not clear that this diet causes ADHD or other forms of psychopathology.
 When synthetic food colorings are removed from diet, small number of children with ADHD show improvement in symptoms.