ADHD Flashcards
Triad of ADHD?
Inattention
Hyperactivity
Impulsivity
What is the impact of childhood ADHD?
Significant parenting difficulties
Increased levels of home stress and high expressed emotions
Emotional dysregulation leading to difficulties in peer relationships and reckless/ dangerous behaviour
Poor problem solving leading to developmentally inappropriate decision making
Significant barrier to learning and potentially exclusion from education
Higher likelihood of antisocial behaviour
What is the impact of adult ADHD?
Increase in frequency of psychiatric comorbid
Higher levels of criminality and antisocial behaviour
Higher level of substance misuse
What causes ADHD?
Perinatal precipitants Genetic predisposition Psychosocial adversity Neuroanatomical brain changes Cognitive and behavioural features
Genetic link in ADHD?
Increased risk (around 60%) among offspring of adults 15% increased risk of ADHD in siblings
What genes tend to be implicated in ADHD?
Those encoding for dopamine and serotonin transporters
What perinatal factors increase the risk of ADHD in children?
Links to tobacco and alcohol sue during pregnancy with higher likelihood of ADHD Foetal alcohol syndrome Prematurity Perinatal hypoxia Short/ long labour, Foetal distress Low forceps delivery Preeclampsia Viral infection
What psychosocial adversity factors are implicated in the progression of ADHD?
Inconsistent parenting Martial discord Low social class Large family size Paternal criminality Maternal mental disorder Maltreatment Emotional trauma
What is required for a diagnosis of ADHD?
Developmentally inappropriate behaviour
Impairing function
Pervasive across settings (home, school, work)
Longstanding from age 5`
Main functions of frontal lobe
Reasoning Planning Impulse control Judgement Initiation of actions Social/ sexual behaviour Long term memory
Which areas of the brain are underactive in ADHD?
Frontal lobe
What is the neurochemistry of ADHD?
Excessive dopamine removal (higher concentration of dopamine transporter; re-uptake inhibitors)
Reduction in NA and serotonin
What will NA mediate in ADHD?
Attention when acting as stress hormone Exertion Perseverance Recall memory Intuition
What will serotonin mediate in ADHD?
Mood Social behaviour Sleep Learning memory Satisfaction Pleasure/ pain Relaxation
Assessment of children with ADHD?
Driven by parents/ school
Ideally a school observation
Screening questionnaires and structured diagnostic questionnaires are helpful
Background information regarding risk factors, including developmental hx and family history
Exploration of early history and attachment style