Nowadays, it is widely accepted that there is no single influence (be it nature or nurture) on cognitive development. Cognitive abilities emerge as a result of interactions between gene expression, cortical and subcortical brain networks, and environmental influences. In recent years, our study of neurodevelopmental disorders has provided much valuable information on how genes, brain development, behaviour, and environment interact to influence development from infancy to adulthood. This is the first book to present evidence on development across the lifespan across these multiple levels of description (genetic, brain, cognitive, environmental). In the book, the authors have chosen a well-defined disorder, Williams syndrome (WS), to explore the impact of genes, brain development, behaviour, as well as the individual's environment on development. WS is used as a model disorder to demonstrate the authors approach to understanding development, whilst being presented in comparison to other neurodevelopmental disorders - Autism, Developmental Dyscalculia, Down syndrome, Dyslexia, Fragile X syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Specific Language Impairment, Turner syndrome - to illustrate differences in development across neurodevelopmental disorders. Williams syndrome is particularly informative for exploring development: Firstly, it has been extensively researched at multiple levels: genes, brain, cognition and behaviour, as well as in terms of the difficulties of daily living and social interaction. Secondly, it has been studied across the lifespan, with many studies on infants and toddlers with WS as well as a large number on children, adolescents and adults. The authors also explore a number of domain-general and domain-specific processes in the verbal, non-verbal and social domains, across numerous neurodevelopmental disorders. This illustrates, among other factors, the importance of developmental timing, i.e. that the development of a cognitive skill at a specific timepoint can impact on subsequent development within that domain, but also across domains. In addition, the authors discuss the value of investigating basic-level abilities from as close to the infant start-state as possible, presenting evidence of where cross-syndrome comparisons have shed light on the cascading impacts of subtle similarities and discrepancies in early delay or deviance, on subsequent development. Designed such that readers with an interest in any neurodevelopmental disorder can gain insight into the intricate dynamics of cognitive development, the book covers both theoretical issues and those of clinical relevance. It will be an invaluable reference for any researcher, clinician, student as well as interested parents or teachers wishing to learn about neurodevelopmental disorders from a developmental framework.

Contemporary Issues in Evaluating Treatment in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Volume 62 in the International Review of Research in Developmental Disabilities series, highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters on topics such as Considerations for measuring individual outcomes across contexts in Down syndrome: Implications for research and clinical trials, Remotely Monitoring Development and Treatment Outcomes in Families affected by IDD, Psychometric perspectives on developmental outcome and endpoint selection in treatment trials for genetic conditions associated with neurodevelopmental disorder, Evaluating Outcomes within Culturally Diverse Contexts for Children and Youth with Developmental Disabilities, and much more. Other chapters in this release cover Measurement of Social Skills Treatment Outcome in Autism: Moving Beyond Informant Report and Considering Diversity, Cognitive Outcome Measures for tracking Alzheimer's Disease in Down syndrome, A Scoping Review of Psychosocial Interventions for Neurogenetic Conditions across the Lifespan, Clinical Trials and Outcome Measures: Lessons Learned from Chromosome 15 disorders, and more. Provides the authority and expertise of leading contributors from an international board of authors Presents the latest release in the International Review of Research in Developmental Disabilities series

This cutting-edge book brings advances in genetics, neurobiology, and psychopharmacology to the clinic to enhance treatment for neurodevelopmental disorders. Significant progress has been made in identifying the neurobiological mechanisms of several disorders and targeted treatments are modifying the outcome of these disorders. However, the ability to utilize this knowledge has not been summarized in one place for the practicing clinician. This book will fill that gap by providing the theoretical underpinnings and the latest advances in targeted treatments. Several neurodevelopmental disorders are reviewed in detail including clinical features and behavioral phenotypes, standard treatments and new targeted treatments based on the latest advances in neurobiology and the animal model studies that have led to new treatments. The disorders covered include psychiatric disorders: schizophrenia, depression, autism and ADHD; single gene disorders including Tuberous Sclerosis, Fragile X Syndrome and fragile X- associated disorders, Angelman Syndrome, PKU, and Muscular Dystrophies; and complex genetic disorders such as Down syndrome. This book also highlights the commonalities across disorders and new genetic and molecular concepts in an easy to read format. This is a very exciting time for new targeted treatments and this volume is a landmark treatise on this new age of treatment.

Interest in the field of neurodevelopmental disorders has grown exponentially in recent years across a range of disciplines, including psychology, psychiatry, education and neuroscience. The research itself has become more sophisticated, using multidisciplinary methods to probe interdisciplinary questions. Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Research Challenges and Solutions provides a thorough overview of the key issues involved in researching neurodevelopmental disorders. The volume includes 14 chapters, arranged over three sections. Chapters in the first section address general research challenges for the study of neurodevelopmental disorders. The second section draws upon specific disorders (such as Williams syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Down Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome, ADHD, and Language Disorders) to consider the syndrome-specific issues or challenges that may be crucial to advancing our understanding of aspects of cognition and behavior associated with them. The final section considers how research evidence may be translated into practice to begin making an impact upon the lives of individuals who have neurodevelopmental disorders and their families. Each chapter in the book also includes ‘practical tips’ for either conducting research with individuals who have neurodevelopmental disorders or considering wider practical issues. The book will be indispensable reading for advanced students, researchers, and practitioners in the fields of developmental psychology, developmental psychopathology, special needs education, neuropsychology, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Neurodevelopmental disorders encompass a group of conditions that can typically manifest during early childhood. These include intellectual disabilities, communication disorders, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), specific learning disorder (SLD), and motor disorders. Early identification and assessment can be a valuable tool in determining diagnosis, prognosis, functional abilities, and formulating clinical intervention for both children and adults with neurodevelopmental disorders. Emerging Trends in the Diagnosis and Intervention of Neurodevelopmental Disorders is an essential reference source that discusses and disseminates contributions covering recent trends in diagnosis, assessment, and intervention techniques. Featuring research on topics such as clinical linguistics, neural connectivity, and animal-assisted therapy, this book is ideally designed for speech pathologists, social workers, occupational therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, neurologists, pediatricians, researchers, clinicians, and academicians seeking coverage on neural and developmental disorder identification and strategies for clinician support and therapies.

This book is unique in presenting evidence on development across the lifespan across multiple levels of description (genetic, brain, cognitive, environmental). The authors use a well-defined disorder - Williams syndrome, to explore the impact of genes, brain development, behaviour, as well as the individual's environment on development.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Diagnosis and Treatment summarizes a vast body of literature concerning diagnosis and treatment for a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders, including both common and rare conditions. Throughout the book, Dr. Hagerman synthesizes treatment information for many disciplines that work together to provide multi-modality intervention. Psychopharmacological information and recommendations as well as the latest knowledge regarding genetic and diagnostic aspects of each disorder are explained in detail. And all chapters have one or more case studies to model the treatment recommendations, which are enhanced by extensive appendices reviewing educational programs, computer software, and supplementary reading. In addition, a detailed resource list of organizations, educational materials, and internet connections accompanies each chapter. This book not only integrates but also advances our knowledge of treatment, which is of prime importance for clinicians, therapists, educators, and parents.