Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Flashcards
What is the prevalence of ADHD?
documented for over 200 years
most common neurodevelopmental disorder: 4-6% of adults, 5-7% of children
80% diagnosed as children continue into adolescence
65% continue into adulthood
diagnosis rates consistent across the globe in the past decade
What are the three main types of ADHD?
hyperactive-impulsive: excessive movement or talking, trouble waiting
inattentive: lack of attention regulation
combined: impulsivity and attention dysregulation
What is the testing of ADHD?
no blood or imaging tests available
only psychological: computer-based, psychoeducational, neuropsychological
What are the comorbidities of ADHD?
anxiety
ASD
learning disabilities
oppositional defiant disorder
conduct disorder
depression
substance abuse
What are misdiagnoses of ADHD?
mood disorders
anxiety
thyroid conditions
brain injury
substance use: steroid use
What are the genetic risk factors of ADHD?
77-88% heritable
What are the in utero risk factors of ADHD?
low birth weight
premature birth
exposure to toxins: alcohol, smoking, lead, cocaine
stress
What are the after birth risk factors of ADHD?
nutrition
brain trauma
social deprivation?
What are the genetics of ADHD?
7,300 possible genetic components identified
2-8x risk if family member has ADHD
What are myths about ADHD?
ADHD rates rising due to increased sugar intake: rates have not been increasing, and sugar doesn’t matter
bad parents cause children to develop ADHD: small risk, only if extremely neglected
children spend too much time inside nowadays this is why they are so restless: not what they’re doing, just giving them less time
How has ADHD been historically male?
now known to be equal
women are less likely to be diagnosed as children due to historically higher IQs
originally though female ADHD was less severe: not true
only in last 20 years female diagnoses more common, still statistically more male diagnosis though
What do males with ADHD struggle with?
struggle most with working memory and educational functioning
What do females with ADHD struggle with?
struggle most with social functioning, time perception, stress, and mood disorders
What is reduced brain volume in ADHD?
frontostriatal network: prefrontal cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, caudate nucleus, putamen
cerebellum
nucleus accumbens
amygdala
hippocampus
differences decrease with age
What is delayed grey matter development in ASD?
differences in area volumes may be due to delayed development
peaks 3 years AFTER non-ADHD children grey matter peaks: most prominent in pre-frontal regions
What is reduced white matter in ADHD?
corpus callosum significantly smaller
decreased cortical thickness
decreased myelination found in DTI study of ADHD patients in prefrontal areas
What is brain function in ADHD?
fMRI studies show ADHD patients may have different neural reward pathway
impaired neural pathways: timing, working memory, attention, cognitive control
What are the neurochemical deficit theories of ADHD?
two theories on how ADHD is linked to abnormalities in dopamine and the reward pathway
dynamic developmental theory
dopamine transfer deficit theory
What is the dynamic developmental theory?
dysfunction of dopamine transmission in the frontal-limbic circuits
What is the dopamine deficit theory?
while there is a normal tonic level of dopamine, the phasic dopamine response to reinforcement is altered in children with ADHD
What is the behavioral neuroenergenetics model of ADHD?
lack of energy in the neurons create a hypo-energy state, causing less energy available for each task
What is the state regulation model of ADHD?
dysregulation in the regulation of vigilance underlies the attention deficits in ADHD
What is the executive dysfunction model of ADHD?
variations in the structure and function of the executive control network
What is therapy for ADHD?
psychotherapy: behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy
psychosocial interventions: family/marital/partner therapy, parenting skill training, behavioral classroom management and academic accommodations
What are medications for ADHD?
stimulants: most common, increases dopamine and norepinephrine
non-stimulants: take longer to work, used when stimulants no longer work
may be prescribe along with antidepressants
What are animal models of ADHD?
KO DAT or decrease DA –> genetic
environmental: give mom crack cocaine, babies have ADHD symptoms
not many because not as much research until recently
What are fMRI studies of ADHD?
fMRI studies: most focus on ADHD vs NT children, high preference for males
