ABPN NDD flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Neural tube closure

The neural tube closes by gestational day 28; failure of anterior closure causes anencephaly and posterior closure causes myelomeningocele.

Primary neurulation

Forms the brain and spinal cord down to about S2; secondary neurulation forms the lower sacral cord and is the site of tethered cord.

Holoprosencephaly

Failure of prosencephalic cleavage causing midline defects; often associated with SHH pathway mutations or chromosome 13 and facial anomalies.

Lissencephaly

A migration disorder producing a smooth brain with absent or reduced gyri, causing seizures and severe developmental delay.

Periventricular leukomalacia

White matter injury of prematurity affecting periventricular regions; a leading cause of spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.

Chiari II malformation

Cerebellar vermis and tonsils herniate through the foramen magnum, usually with myelomeningocele and hydrocephalus.

Folic acid prevention

Periconceptional folic acid supplementation reduces the risk of neural tube defects by roughly 50-70 percent.

Head circumference growth

Birth head circumference averages about 35 cm and increases roughly 2 cm per month in the first 3 months.

Corticospinal decussation

The corticospinal tract crosses at the medullary pyramids; upper motor neuron lesions cause spasticity, hyperreflexia, and Babinski sign.

Immature GABA polarity

In immature neurons high intracellular chloride makes GABA depolarizing; KCC2 upregulation later shifts GABA to inhibitory.

Myelination sequence

Myelination begins in the third trimester in the brainstem and proceeds caudorostrally, with frontal lobe myelination continuing into adulthood.

Synaptic pruning

Experience-dependent elimination of excess synapses peaks in early childhood; altered pruning is implicated in autism and schizophrenia.

Cerebellar vermis function

The vermis coordinates midline and gait function; hemispheric lesions cause ipsilateral limb ataxia and intention tremor.

Posterior dominant rhythm

The EEG posterior dominant rhythm appears around 3-4 months and reaches adult alpha frequency by about 10 years.

Cranial nerve VI palsy

Impaired abduction from abducens palsy; in raised intracranial pressure it is a false-localizing sign.

Neonatal seizure presentation

Neonatal seizures are often subtle, with apnea or cycling movements, and require EEG confirmation.

DSM-5-TR autism criteria

Requires persistent social communication deficits plus restricted/repetitive behaviors, present in early development and causing functional impairment.

ASD support levels

Autism severity is specified by support needs: Level 1 requiring support through Level 3 requiring very substantial support.

ADHD diagnostic criteria

Symptoms before age 12, present in two or more settings for at least 6 months, with functional impairment.

Intellectual disability criteria

Deficits in intellectual and adaptive functioning with onset in the developmental period; severity is set by adaptive scores.

Global developmental delay

Applies under age 5 when milestones are not met and standardized assessment is not feasible.

M-CHAT-R/F

A toddler autism screening tool; a positive screen requires diagnostic evaluation rather than establishing a diagnosis.

Tourette syndrome criteria

Both motor and vocal tics for more than 1 year with onset before age 18.

Social communication disorder

Pragmatic language deficits without restricted or repetitive behaviors; differentiated from autism spectrum disorder.

Specific learning disorder

Academic skills substantially below age expectations despite adequate instruction, affecting reading, writing, or mathematics.

Developmental regression

Loss of previously acquired skills warrants urgent evaluation for autism, epilepsy such as Landau-Kleffner, or neurodegenerative disease.

ADHD medication classes

FDA-approved options include methylphenidate and amphetamine stimulants, atomoxetine, guanfacine ER, and clonidine ER.

Autism irritability medications

Risperidone and aripiprazole are FDA-approved for irritability in autism; monitor weight, metabolic panel, and movement side effects.

ABA intervention

Early intensive applied behavior analysis has the strongest evidence for improving adaptive behavior in young children with autism.

IDEA Part B

Guarantees free appropriate public education and individualized education programs for eligible children ages 3 through 21.

IDEA Part C

Provides early intervention services for infants and toddlers under age 3 with developmental delay or established risk.

Transition planning

Under IDEA, transition planning must begin by age 16 and address postsecondary goals and adult services.