The neuropsychological basis of childhood psychopathology

Abstract

A clear link exists between neurological dysfunction and psychopathology in children, as evidenced by research on the sequelae of developmental childhood brain impairment, the neuropsychological investigation of children with psychiatric disorders, and neuroimaging research. Understanding the neuropsychological basis of a disorder helps teachers, parents, and children better understand the etiology of the disorder and guide classroom interventions. Additionally, identifying morphological markers of childhood mental disorders may lead to earlier and more successful interventions. This article reviews the neuropsychological relationships between brain impairment and childhood mental disorders as well as investigates the biological basis for some common childhood disorders seen in the schools. Emphasis is placed upon the underlying neurological and neuropsychological deficits that constitute disorders, and implications for practitioners are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.More sensitive and less expensive methods of analyzing the structure of the brain and corresponding neurobehavioral functions such as positron emission tomography (PET) scans, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scans, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (f MRI) are leading to an increased understanding of the etiology and expression of childhood psychopathology. Combined with the improving sophistication and psychometric qualities of neuropsychological test instruments, it should be easier for school psychologists to assess, diagnose, and treat a wider range of mental disorders that are seen in the schools. Increasing a school psychologist's knowledge about the biological basis of common childhood psychopathology should facilitate communication with neurologists, neurosurgeons, and other medical personnel who entrust the care of their patients in the schools to school psychologists. Another advantage of sharing knowledge between the fields of medicine and psychology is that for many disorders which are traditionally seen to be in the physician's domain, cognitive signs and symptoms are the first indication of a problem. For example, there is currently no effective genetic, or DNA, test for autism. A diagnosis is currently dependent upon noting a wide array of cognitive, behavioral, and social-emotional differences. However, recent neuroimaging studies are linking autism to morphological brain markers that may enable psychologists to intervene at earlier and hence more successful levels. This article will review some neuropsychological and neurological bases of some of the more common mental disorders seen in the schools. Due to the breadth of material to be covered, this article is not intended to be a complete description of the symptoms, etiology, neurological basis, and treatment options of each disorder. Furthermore, most modern neuropsychological processing theories venture beyond the simple "localization of impairment approach" to embrace the interconnectedness of different brain areas (e.g., Luria, 1973). Thus,...

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