WEEK 3 - NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS

Question 1

neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs)

Answer 1

onset in developmental period and can impact personal, academic, social functioning and be lifelong conditions

Question 2

cognition and learning disorders

Answer 2

IDD, GDD, SLD, ADHD

Question 3

Intellectual developmental disorder (IDD)

Answer 3

characterised by deficits in general cognitive abilities and impacts adaptive functioning, personal independence and social responsibility

Question 4

Global developmental delay (GDD)

Answer 4

must be diagnosed before 5-years and is determined when expected developmental milestones are unmet. Must also consider IQ and adaptive functioning

Question 5

Specific Learning Disorder (SLD)

Answer 5

characterised by difficulties in perceiving/processing information for academic skills and manifests during early schooling years; inaccurate or effortful reading, difficulties in comprehension/spelling/writing

Question 6

Attention-deficit /Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Answer 6

characterised by inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity and is inconsistent with age nor developmental level

Question 7

social and communication disorders

Answer 7

SPCD and ASD

Question 8

Social Pragmatic Communication Disorder (SPCD)

Answer 8

can demonstrate social impairments; NOT explained by low abilities and has childhood-onset fluency disturbance/motor production (ie. stuttering)

Question 9

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Answer 9

difficulties in social communication + social interaction and characterised by restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour

Question 10

motor and coordination disorders

Answer 10

DCD, stereotypic movement disorder, Tic disorder

Question 11

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD)

Answer 11

impairment in coordinated motor skills and manifests as clumsiness, slowness or inaccuracy of performance

Question 12

Stereotypic Movement Disorder

Answer 12

repetitive, driven, seemingly purposeless motor behaviours and individually patterned ‘signature’ behaviour

Question 13

Tic disorders

Answer 13

sudden + rapid, recurrent and nonrhythmic motor movements or vocalisations (ie. Tourette’s disorder)

Question 14

co-morbidity

Answer 14

co-occurrences of two or more different disorders and are quite common - these can impact functional impairments

Question 15

neuroimaging findings in ADHD

Answer 15

reduction in grey matter globally and in prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia and cerebellum, as well as developmental cortical changes of neurons/synapses and delayed cortical maturation

Question 16

neuroimaging findings in ASD

Answer 16

under-connectivity in regions related to processing of social info as well as increased activation in sensory cortices that suggests different processing of sensory info occurring

Question 17

neuroimaging findings in DCD

Answer 17

reductions in white matter structures and altered connectivity between sensorimotor networks and other brain regions

Question 18

consistent limitations in neuroimaging findings

Answer 18

variability in study design (sample size and neuroimaging techniques), inconsistency in diagnostic criteria for studies and methodological differences (functional vs structural findings)

Question 19

key considerations for NDD assessment

Answer 19

age, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, language and communication proficiency, sensory and motor impairments

Question 20

diagnostic assessments

Answer 20

rely on behavioural/cognitive presentations and can assess a range of domains which provide comprehensive understanding of individuals’ cognitive profile - used to diagnose AND rule out NDDs