Childhood Disorders Psychology 2617 Introduction To understand developmental

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Childhood Disorders Psychology 2617

Childhood Disorders Psychology 2617

Introduction To understand developmental disorders we first have to look at development of the

Introduction To understand developmental disorders we first have to look at development of the nervous system l Basically it goes from head to tail and from near to far l

Gross development When a Mommy and a Daddy really like each other. . .

Gross development When a Mommy and a Daddy really like each other. . . l Primitive body at 15 days l Neural plate at about 3 weeks l Plate curls up, forms the neural groove, this becomes the neural tube l By 49 days pretty person like l

Stem Cells Neural stem cells line the neural tube l These divide quickly l

Stem Cells Neural stem cells line the neural tube l These divide quickly l Unlike adult stem cells, these guys divide and divide again, like well, like 'normal' (non neural) cells l Adult stem cells divide, but then one daughter cell dies! l Stem cells become neuroblasts or glioblasts l

Stages in brain development Cell birth l Migration l Differentiation l Maturation l Synaptogenesis

Stages in brain development Cell birth l Migration l Differentiation l Maturation l Synaptogenesis l Cell death l mylenogenesis l

Generation, migration and differentiation Much easier to fix trauma if early on l Migration

Generation, migration and differentiation Much easier to fix trauma if early on l Migration takes about oh 6 to 7 weeks l Then differentiation kicks in l Cells formed in a particular region differentiate into different types of neurons l Follow the radial glial road (very cool) l Layers of cortex develop from the inside out, as you would expect l

Vulnerability and Plasticity Teratogens (like booze for example) l Can cause agenisis or dysgenisis

Vulnerability and Plasticity Teratogens (like booze for example) l Can cause agenisis or dysgenisis l Possibility for injury during birth too l Depending on the insult an immature brain may deal better than a mature one, though this varies more than originally thought l

Some specific disorders l Hydrocephalus l Too much CSF l 27 per 100 000

Some specific disorders l Hydrocephalus l Too much CSF l 27 per 100 000 l Pressure damages brain, usually pervasively l Sunting can help l Turner’s syndrome l Missing X l Low cognitive functioing l Less parietal metabolic activity

Acquired disorders l FAS l Growth retardation, facial anomalies l Hard to know how

Acquired disorders l FAS l Growth retardation, facial anomalies l Hard to know how much alcohol is safe l FSS maybe too l Pervasive cognitive and behavioural deficits

Learning disabilities l Dyslexia l Seems to be a genetic cause l Slower flicker

Learning disabilities l Dyslexia l Seems to be a genetic cause l Slower flicker fusion l Magnocellular deficit perhaps l Could be due to planum temporale deficits l (symetric in dyslexic people)

Nonverbal Learning disability Sort of the opposite of dyslexia l Seems it could be

Nonverbal Learning disability Sort of the opposite of dyslexia l Seems it could be a question of integration l Right hemisphere, particularly parietal regions l Talk a lot, but don’t get the sort of social aspects of language l

Pervasive developmental disorders l Autism l l l l Poor (if any) linguistic development

Pervasive developmental disorders l Autism l l l l Poor (if any) linguistic development Joint attention Autistic aloneness? Echolalia Neologisms Pretend play is abnormal Book says 20 per 100 000, more like 300

autism Hard to know what the cause is, though genetics do play a role

autism Hard to know what the cause is, though genetics do play a role l Hard to say what the problem is, is it cortex? HP? Amygdila? Other limbic areas? l Emotional perception and theory of mind l

Putting it all together Canalesthesia l Impaired affective assignment l Asociality l Extended selective

Putting it all together Canalesthesia l Impaired affective assignment l Asociality l Extended selective attention l

Outlook Well, it depends on the severity l Some autistic people never even develop

Outlook Well, it depends on the severity l Some autistic people never even develop linguistic skills l Some autistic people end up in special ed programs l Some autistic people finish high school l Some get Ph. Ds! l

ADHD More males than females l Can continue to adulthood l Maybe half of

ADHD More males than females l Can continue to adulthood l Maybe half of all psychiatric referrals! l Often occurs with other disorders such as ODD and CD l Often with anxiety or depression too l

What is the cause? Genetics l Abnormal corpus collossum? l l Less l Frontal

What is the cause? Genetics l Abnormal corpus collossum? l l Less l Frontal lobe issue? l Lack l communication of asymmetry Frontal basal ganglia? l Decreased blood flow

models So what is the deal on this disorder? l Seems that attention cannot

models So what is the deal on this disorder? l Seems that attention cannot be focused l Most models suggest that some component of attention, or all the components, are messed up l Why do stimulants work? l Well, stimulants focus attention! l

Conclusion Some of this stuff is pretty sad l However, new techniques and diagnostic

Conclusion Some of this stuff is pretty sad l However, new techniques and diagnostic tools have allowed people with say Hydrocephalus and Autism to lead really fairly normal lives l Drug treatments have been effective for ADHD l There is lots of hope l