Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Tager-Flusberg H, editor

Cambridge (MA): The MIT Press; 1999. 614 pp with index

ISBN 0-262-20116-X (cloth)

This book presents an account of recent advances in the knowledge and understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders. At the same time, it raises questions to be addressed by ongoing research endeavours.

The great advances during the past decade in molecular biology, behaviour genetics, developmental neurobiology, neuroimaging technology, cognitive science and developmental psychology have allowed exploration from various angles of a wide spectrum of disorders, from Down syndrome to dyslexia to autism. The authors bring together new knowledge for the “creation of a new scientific frontier: the integration of molecular genetics with developmental cognitive neuroscience.”

The book’s ultimate goal — “to understand the basic mechanisms that explain how genes and environmental processes contribute to the development of specific structures and regions of the brain” and to explain how these brain structures and associated functions are directly related to specific cognitive processes (p. 4).

In the introductory chapter, the editor addresses methodological issues with clarity and conciseness and lays the groundwork for the 23 chapters which follow. The contributing authors are all distinguished researchers in their fields.

The book is divided into 3 main sections: neurodevelopmental disorders of known genetic etiology (fragile X, Williams, Prader-Willi, Down and Turner syndromes), disorders of unknown or complex genetic etiology (dyslexia, specific language impairment and autism) and 6 chapters on broader perspectives on neurodevelopmental disorders (teratology, environmental toxicants, synesthesia, congenital hydrocephalus, neural mediation of language development and advances in cognitive neuroscience [views from child psychiatry and medical genetics]).

The authors review a wealth of new evidence from disciplines hitherto separate, to form a new synthesis, linking molecular genetics and environmental variables with the development of the brain structures and function and with clinical phenotypes. The links are clear for some disorders, but are speculative for others. This novel synthesis provides a new paradigm and a new vocabulary toward a better understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders.

The clinician who has limited access to journals and can hardly keep up with the great advances made in fields such as molecular genetics, developmental neurobiology and neuroscience will find this volume illuminating. Although most chapters are compelling, there is some repetition in chapters that address related disorders (e.g., dyslexia and specific language impairment). It might, however, be argued that each chapter can stand on its own, forming a comprehensive entity. The limited use of graphs, figures and photos is one drawback. Because this book covers a dynamic field of inquiry, whereby new knowledge is constantly being acquired, it is likely a new edition will be needed every few years.

This is an excellent book, and I recommend it as essential reading for child psychiatrists and psychologists, speech-language pathologists and clinicians in other related disciplines.