ADHD: Childhood Manifestations Flashcards
What are the early characteristics of ADHD?
Boys outnumber girls, difficulty with attention appears very early in development and believed exacerbated by the British ed. system.
What are the two types of attention?
Selective attention and sustained attention.
How is ADHD classified?
First believed to be an externalizing disorder. Now known as a neurodevelopmental disorder.
What is a neurodevelopmental disorder?
Something people are born with and changes over time. Manifests during childhood and persists into adulthood.
What are the 3 subtypes of ADHD?
ADHD-PI which is predominantly inattentive type, ADHD-HI which is predominantly hyperactive impulse type, and ADHD-C which is a combination.
What is the prevalence of ADHD in girls?
2-4% in girls, where girls display more inattentive and disorganized symptoms. When girls are ADHD-HI, they tend to be referred at a young age and its hyperverbal rather than hyperactive.
What is the prevalence of ADHD in boys?
6-8%.
How is ADHD highly comorbid?
Many children with ADHD meet criteria for other disorders. Early onset of ADHD associated with CD, ODD and precedes these disorders. Comorbidity with externalizing disorders more common among HI type and comorbidity with internalizing disorders more common among PI type.
What are the neural mechanisms of ADHD?
The Basal Ganglia is the most important, controls responses to control and inhibition. Lesions here result in symptoms close to ADHD. The striatum is important structure in the BG.
What is the frontostriatal circuitry?
Neural pathways connecting the frontal lobe and the striatum. In ADHD the FC does not work as well– with smaller frontal lobes and different looking striatum.
What is neural maturation like in ADHD?
Slower. Slow thickening of the cerebral cortex and takes ADHD children about 2 years longer to complete gyrification– process of brain surface folding.
What are the genetics of ADHD?
One of the most heritable disorders. Children with bio parents with ADHD 3X more likely to have ADHD compared to having adoptive parents. Dopamine and impulsivity related to dompaminergic genes (DRD4, DRD2).
What are the environmental factors associated with ADHD?
20-30% higher lead in blood levels. High levels of lead may activate genetic susceptibility and high lead associated with diminished cognitive control.
What are the primary treatment methods for ADHD?
Medications, psychostimulants produce 80% improvement and safe for long term use.
