Disorders of mental development
Elsevier eBooksPublished 1 January 1993
Neil Gordon
Citations40
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TL;DR
This chapter reviews the disorders of mental development, which include Down's syndrome or mongolism, 21 trisomy or G-trisomy, and some of the conditions to be considered are genetically determined.
Abstract
This chapter reviews the disorders of mental development. Genetic and acquired factors can interfere with the growth of the brain and can lead to mental and physical handicap. They may also be associated in varying degrees with the less obvious conditions, such as clumsiness and dyslexia, and to disorders such as epilepsy and hyperkinesis. The most important prenatal causes of mental handicap include intra-uterine anoxia, failure of fetal nutrition, and infections, but some of the conditions to be considered are genetically determined. Almost all of these are transmitted by a recessive mode of inheritance. Down's syndrome or mongolism, 21 trisomy or G-trisomy, is easy enough to recognize by the typical facial appearance and other characteristics, including hypotonia, congenital heart disease, duodenal atresia, abnormal palmar and plantar creases, and Brushfield spots. Atlantoaxial instability and abnormalities of the odontoid may be a problem and lead to spinal cord damage. The mental retardation is usually severe, but there are definite exceptions to this.
Keywords
MedicineBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
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