Purpose: Autistic disorder (AD), Asperger's syndrome (AS), and pervasive developmental disorder--not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) have been removed from the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders--Fifth Edition" ("DSM-5"). It now contains the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. This study assessed…

Background: Opponent-process theories of externalizing disorders (ExD) attribute them to some combination of overactive reward processing systems and/or underactive behavior inhibition systems. Reward processing has been indexed by recruitment of incentive-motivational neurocircuitry of the ventral striatum (VS), including nucleus accumbens…

Objective: According to DSM-IV, bipolar disorders (BDs) include four subtypes, BD I, BD II, cyclothymic disorder, and BD not otherwise specified (NOS). We explore the clinical implications of this subtyping in a naturalistic sample of referred youths with BD I, BD II, and BD-NOS. Method: The sample consisted of 217 patients, 135 males and 82…

The use of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM IV) as a teaching tool for social workers to understand mental illness has been debated for many years. The general consensus is that social workers need to be "familiar" with this classification system. Social Work's person in environment perspective, however, requires…

This paper describes current neurological knowledge regarding the recognition, diagnosis, and classification of frontal lobe seizures, and then critiques a study by A. Gedye which suggested that self-injury may be involuntary and related to frontal lobe seizure activity. (JDD)

This paper responds to a critique (EC 601 489) of a paper on the possible involuntary nature of self-injurious movements in persons with mental retardation, resulting from undiagnosed frontal lobe seizures. The response discusses electroencephalographic techniques, the importance of observable ictal phenomena, the need for other corroborating…

Research prospects and priorities in autism are discussed with respect to: (1) diagnosis, classification, and epidemiology; (2) clinical research; (3) neuropsychological research; (4) genetics; (5) structural and functional brain imaging; (6) postmortem studies; (7) other biological research; and (8) treatment research. Application of research…

This essay notes the complexities inherent in classifying pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), especially when a single classification scheme is to be used for clinical, research, and administrative purposes. The paper considers principles of classification, symptomatology, the neuropsychiatric interface, the value of a multiaxial approach,…

The paper presents a discussion of human mental processes as they relate to learning disabilities. Pathognomonic symptoms associated with disturbances to brain areas or functional systems are discussed, as well as treatment procedures. This brain behavior relationship is offered as a basis for a classification system that is seen to more clearly…

This monograph presents 11 papers on a study of the problem of specific diagnosis with children who do not communicate effectively. About 500 children with inadequate communication skills, selected as having a developmental language disorder, autism, or low IQ without autistic features, were studied by a multidisciplinary team. Data collected…