3.6. Neuropsychology
3.6. Neuropsychology
Bachelor-3 Psychology
Summary written by Amy van Wingerde
________________________________________________________________
1
,3.6. Neuropsychology
Theme 4
Sources
Fetal alcohol syndrome
Kolb et al. (2015) – Chapter 24
Bad habit with major consequences?
Mattson et al. (2011)
Tired and handicapped but not written off
Chiaravalloti et al. (2008)
Parkinson’s disease
Kolb et al. (2015) – Chapter 27
Shaking in my shoes
Poletti et al. (2012)
Grandma has lost it
Bondi et al. (2008), Kramer et al. (2003), Burrell et al. (2015)
Fetal alcohol syndrome
Kolb et al. (2015) – Chapter 24. Developmental disorders (FAS)
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
General
- Jones and Smith (1973): Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) describes a pattern of physical
malformation and intellectual impairment observed in children born of alcoholic mothers.
- Disorders are now included under the umbrella of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).
Physical characteristics
- Children may have irregular facial features, e.g., smooth philtrum (fissure below the nose),
thin upper lip, and short palpebral fissures (distance across the eyelids).
- Physical characteristics: Small stature and a tendency to be thin.
Brain characteristics
- From small brains with abnormal gyri to brains of typical size with abnormal clusters of cells
and misaligned cells in the cortex.
Behavioral characteristics
- Learning disabilities and lowered intelligence scores, as well as hyperactivity and other
social problems.
2
, 3.6. Neuropsychology
Prevalence
- Pronounced FASD is found in the offspring of 6% of alcoholic mothers, depending on
geographic location (depending on alcohol use there).
- Especially high incidence in child-care settings and among prison populations, indicating
these are risk factors.
- Women at risk for bearing FASD babies often are poor and not well-educated.
Diagnosis
- FAS is not an all-or-none diagnosis, alcohol-induced abnormalities can range from hardly
noticeable physical and psychological effects to full-blown FASD.
- Severity is related to when, how much, and how frequently alcohol was consumed during
pregnancy as well as individual factors.
- Worst effect: Drinking occurs in the first 3 months, mostly when women do not know they
are pregnant; more severe when mothers binge drank; poor maternal nutrition and use of
other drugs (e.g., nicotine).
- Question remains how much alcohol is too much, because their effects on the fetus depend
on much factors; however, showed that one alcoholic drink per day during pregnancy can
lead to decreased intelligence scores in offspring; alcohol may also cause epigenetic changes
in the sperm of men affecting development of the child.
Causes
- General effects on cell division and maturation as well as epigenetic effects.
- Possible effects on a potassium channel called Kir2.1 that allows K+ to move freely across
the cell membrane and is thus important for maintaining a normal resting potential across
both neuronal and non-neuronal cell membranes.
- When the channel is blocked, downstream effects on cell metabolism results in apoptosis
(cell death); accounting for physical and brain abnormalities in FASD.
- Alcohol does have an inhibitory effect on Kir2.1 channels, suggesting that their dysregulation
contributes to development of FASD.
Bad habit with major consequences?
Mattson et al. (2011) – Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: Neuropsychological and behavioral
features
Introduction
- The most devastating outcomes of prenatal alcohol exposure are alterations to the
developing brain and neurobehavioral deficits.
3
3.6. Neuropsychology
Bachelor-3 Psychology
Summary written by Amy van Wingerde
________________________________________________________________
1
,3.6. Neuropsychology
Theme 4
Sources
Fetal alcohol syndrome
Kolb et al. (2015) – Chapter 24
Bad habit with major consequences?
Mattson et al. (2011)
Tired and handicapped but not written off
Chiaravalloti et al. (2008)
Parkinson’s disease
Kolb et al. (2015) – Chapter 27
Shaking in my shoes
Poletti et al. (2012)
Grandma has lost it
Bondi et al. (2008), Kramer et al. (2003), Burrell et al. (2015)
Fetal alcohol syndrome
Kolb et al. (2015) – Chapter 24. Developmental disorders (FAS)
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
General
- Jones and Smith (1973): Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) describes a pattern of physical
malformation and intellectual impairment observed in children born of alcoholic mothers.
- Disorders are now included under the umbrella of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).
Physical characteristics
- Children may have irregular facial features, e.g., smooth philtrum (fissure below the nose),
thin upper lip, and short palpebral fissures (distance across the eyelids).
- Physical characteristics: Small stature and a tendency to be thin.
Brain characteristics
- From small brains with abnormal gyri to brains of typical size with abnormal clusters of cells
and misaligned cells in the cortex.
Behavioral characteristics
- Learning disabilities and lowered intelligence scores, as well as hyperactivity and other
social problems.
2
, 3.6. Neuropsychology
Prevalence
- Pronounced FASD is found in the offspring of 6% of alcoholic mothers, depending on
geographic location (depending on alcohol use there).
- Especially high incidence in child-care settings and among prison populations, indicating
these are risk factors.
- Women at risk for bearing FASD babies often are poor and not well-educated.
Diagnosis
- FAS is not an all-or-none diagnosis, alcohol-induced abnormalities can range from hardly
noticeable physical and psychological effects to full-blown FASD.
- Severity is related to when, how much, and how frequently alcohol was consumed during
pregnancy as well as individual factors.
- Worst effect: Drinking occurs in the first 3 months, mostly when women do not know they
are pregnant; more severe when mothers binge drank; poor maternal nutrition and use of
other drugs (e.g., nicotine).
- Question remains how much alcohol is too much, because their effects on the fetus depend
on much factors; however, showed that one alcoholic drink per day during pregnancy can
lead to decreased intelligence scores in offspring; alcohol may also cause epigenetic changes
in the sperm of men affecting development of the child.
Causes
- General effects on cell division and maturation as well as epigenetic effects.
- Possible effects on a potassium channel called Kir2.1 that allows K+ to move freely across
the cell membrane and is thus important for maintaining a normal resting potential across
both neuronal and non-neuronal cell membranes.
- When the channel is blocked, downstream effects on cell metabolism results in apoptosis
(cell death); accounting for physical and brain abnormalities in FASD.
- Alcohol does have an inhibitory effect on Kir2.1 channels, suggesting that their dysregulation
contributes to development of FASD.
Bad habit with major consequences?
Mattson et al. (2011) – Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: Neuropsychological and behavioral
features
Introduction
- The most devastating outcomes of prenatal alcohol exposure are alterations to the
developing brain and neurobehavioral deficits.
3
