Main description:

In this first compendium in the growing literature of behavioral teratology, readers will discover an easy-to-access, concise presentation that covers a huge range of subjects. The book synthesizes important findings that help explain why prenatal events may result in abnormal behavior and learning disabilities later in life. It goes further to examine the role of prenatal perturbations in conditions as varied as dyslexia, schizophrenia, fetal alcohol syndrome, and autism.

Contents:

Section I: Introduction.- The importance of the prenatal central nervous system development.- Overview prenatal central nervous system development.- Section II: The demography of normal and abnormal childbirth.- Normal birth patterns.- Demographic characteristics resulting in fetal death: a model for fetal developmental risk.- Section III: Prematurity and low birth weight: The great mediator of developmental pathologies.- Prematurity and low birth weight: Defining the problem.- Prematurity and low birth weight: Learning and behavior outcomes.- Section IV: Maternal ingested toxins.- Maternal smoking.- Maternal alcohol use.- Maternal use of other recreational drugs.- Sections V: Maternal medical and psychological conditions.- Prenatal nutrition.- Maternal infection.- Maternal illness other than infection.- Maternal stress during pregnancy.- Other maternal characteristics.- Perinatal events: delivery complications.- Section VI: Environmental factors.- Environmental toxins: Air, water, and food pollutants.- Temperature, photoperiod, and other geophysical factors.- Section VII: Summary.- A model of prenatal perturbations to development.- Screening for prenatal perturbation in clinical work.- Appendix.