Book Review: Pediatric Neuropsychiatry

C. Edward Coffey and Roger A. Brumback (eds); Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005864 pages • $149.00 (hardcover)

Reviewed by Daniel P. Dickstein, MD

The editors of Pediatric Neuropsychiatry must have drawn on their experiences and the feedback they received on their first book, Textbook of Pediatric Neuropsychiatry (American Psychiatric Press, 1998), for this text. The result is a work that has not only been updated with the latest in developmental neuropsychiatry research but has also been revised with an eye toward making this information accessible for all clinicians interested in disorders involving disturbed brain/behavior relationships.

This text is divided into 4 complementary sections. Section 1, "Neuropsychiatric Assessment of the Child and Adolescent," sets the tone for the text, as human development from the cellular to the whole-organism level is carefully laid out. This section successfully presents the long-established developmental neuroscience and indicates where recent research contradicts previously held beliefs. In addition, it provides a thorough review of developmental milestones, clinical neuropsychiatric/neuropsychological evaluation of children and adolescents, and the latest in brain imaging and electrophysiologic techniques.

In section 2, "Neuropsychiatric Aspects of Psychiatric and Behavioral Disorders of Children and Adolescents," the authors review the neurobiology of key psychiatric disorders such as autism, schizophrenia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and mood and anxiety disorders. Each chapter synthesizes aspects of diagnostic phenomenology, neurobiology (including genetics, neurotransmitters, and neuroimaging), and treatment, while highlighting gaps in our knowledge.

Section 3, "Neuropsychiatric Aspects of Neurologic Disorders of Children and Adolescents," is a unique synthesis of both the neurologic and psychiatric aspects of disorders commonly thought to be primarily neurologic, such as epilepsy, brain tumors, and cerebral palsy. Each of the chapters in this section provides a systematic approach to the diagnosis and etiology of these disorders.

Section 4, "Principles of Treatment in Pediatric Neuropsychiatry," consists of a concise yet comprehensive guide. This includes psychotherapy and psychopharmacology, as well as legal issues, genetic counseling, and electroconvulsive therapy.

This book is recommended as an excellent resource for all health care professionals who work with children, adolescents, and families struggling with neuropsychiatric/neuropsychological disorders who want to learn more about the interplay of development, psychiatry, and neuroscience.

Dr Dickstein is a pediatric psychiatrist and researcher in Bethesda, Md.