ADHD Flashcards
What type of disorder is ADHD classified as in the DSM-5?
A neurodevelopmental disorder.
What are the DSM-5 specifiers for ADHD?
ADHD-I (Inattentive), ADHD-H (Hyperactive/Impulsive), ADHD-HI (Combined).
What percentage of people retain an ADHD diagnosis into adulthood?
At least one-third.
Who was the first to describe children with attention and self-control problems?
George Still.
What historical event led to the “brain-injured child syndrome”?
The worldwide influenza epidemic (1917–1926) and its complications.
What was ADHD called in the 1950s?
Hyperkinesis. Led to definition of hyperactive child syndrom, motor overactivity seen as main feature
When did attention deficits and impulse control begin to be recognized as key symptoms of ADHD?
In the 1970s.
What trend occurred in the 1980s regarding ADHD?
Increased interest in the disorder and more frequent use of stimulant medications.
What are the three types of attention deficits in ADHD?
Deficits may be seen in one or more types of inattention: Selective attention, sustained attention (vigilance), and alerting.
What are common traits in the Predominantly Inattentive Specifier?
Daydreaming, confusion, learning difficulties, slow processing, anxiety, social withdrawal.
What behaviors are associated with hyperactivity in ADHD?
Fidgeting, excessive talking, climbing, touching everything, pencil tapping.
Which ADHD presentation is most often referred for treatment?
Combined Type (ADHD-HI).
What problems are more common in ADHD-H and ADHD-HI presentations?
Aggression, peer rejection, defiance, special education placement.
How common is the Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive (ADHD-H) presentation?
It is rare, typically seen in preschool-aged children, and has limited validity for older children.
What is the prevalence of ADHD in North American school-age children?
About 4-8% of school-age children
What is the male-to-female ratio in ADHD diagnoses?
Approximately 2.5 males for every 1 female diagnosed.
What is the estimated worldwide prevalence of ADHD?
5.2%, with highest rates in South America and Africa (8-12%) and lowest in Japan and China (2-5%).
How common is ADHD in adults in the U.S.?
8.1% report a lifetime history; 4.4% currently meet criteria for ADHD.
What kinds of cognitive deficits are associated with ADHD?
Deficits in executive functioning, including working memory, planning, self-regulation, communication, and response inhibition.
What percentage of children with ADHD have comorbid disorders?
As many as 80% have co-occurring psychological disorders.
What are the most common comorbidities in children with ADHD?
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) (~50%), Conduct Disorder (CD) (30-50%), Anxiety Disorders (25%), Mood Disorders (20-30%), and increased Substance Use Disorders.
What is homotypic continuity?
When the same disorder persists across time (e.g., childhood ADHD → adolescent ADHD).
What is heterotypic continuity?
When one disorder predicts the development of a different disorder over time (e.g., ADHD → depression).
What are two explanations for heterotypic continuity?
- Failure Model: ADHD symptoms → social struggles (e.g., conflict, rejection) → later mental health issues (e.g., depression).
- Shared Etiopathogenic Factors: Common genetic or biological traits (e.g., irritability) underlie multiple disorders across development.
What did the ALSPAC study show about ADHD?
ADHD at age 7.5 predicted ADHD and other disorders (like GAD, MDD) at age 14—supporting both types of continuity.
What ADHD symptoms are less relevant in adulthood?
Hyperactivity—adults may mask or control these behaviors better.
How persistent is ADHD into adulthood, according to studies?
Diagnosis persistence: 5.7–77%; symptom persistence: 60–86%.
What evidence shows that ADHD is genetic?
1/3 of biological relatives of kids with ADHD also have it
3x higher rates in biological vs. adoptive parents
Twin studies show ~80% heritability
How common are emotion regulation difficulties (ERD) in ADHD?
21–66% of adolescents and adults with ADHD have significant ERD.
What did Brocki et al. (2017) find about ER and inattention over time?
Poor emotion regulation, especially poor regulation of positive emotions, predicted increased inattention; good ER predicted decreased inattention.
What brain areas show reduced volume in ADHD?
Prefrontal cortex (PFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), caudate, corpus callosum, cerebellum.
What brain activity pattern is often seen in the PFC and striatum in ADHD during attention or impulse-control tasks?
Reduced activation — these brain areas are less active during tasks like Go/No-Go, which require focus and inhibition.
What neurotransmitter systems are most implicated in ADHD?
Dopamine and norepinephrine.
Why do researchers think dopamine is involved in ADHD?
Because ADHD medications often help by increasing dopamine, so scientists believe dopamine plays a role — even if brain studies don’t always show clear problems with dopamine.
