Chapter 14 Part 3: ADHD

Question 1

primary characteristics of people with ADHD

Answer 1

patterns of 1) inattention, such as being disorganized or forgetful, or of 2) hyperactivity and 3) impulsivity.

• these are considered to be subtypes

Question 2

Some research shows that a dopamine and 5HT transporter ____ can predict ADHD

Answer 2

DAT1 paired with psychosocial distress (ex/ hostile home environments)

drugs that inhibit this gene increases the amount of DA available and reduces ADHD symptoms (ex/ ritalin operataes on this repression)

Question 3

Stats about ADHD. Gender ratio?

Answer 3

Estimates: 6-7% of school-age children and adolescents in North America and 5% worldwide have ADHD
•Diagnoses: boys outnumber girls 4:1

Question 4

Problems with ADHD diagnosis.

Answer 4

ADHD in girls may go unrecognized and unreported. DSM criteria may be more appropriate to boys rather than girls. There is also a problem with overdiagnosis of ADHD in north america.

Question 5

Girls with ADHD tend to display which subtype?

Answer 5

inattentive/disorganization symptoms rather than impulsivity.

Question 6

Girls with ADHD may be at higher risk for:

Answer 6

eating disorders because of impulsive-hyperactive behaviours.

Question 7

Differences in ADHD in adolescence and adulthood

Answer 7

At least 50% of clinic-referred elementary school children continue to meet criteria for ADHD into adolescence

•Adults sometimes either “outgrow” or learn to cope with their challenges by adulthood, or the PROBLEMS MAY CHANGE; STUDIES SHOW THAT ADULTS WITH ADHD ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE EDUCATED, AND HAVE HIGHER CHANCES OF GETTING DIVORCED AND DISPLAY ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER.

Hyperactive/impulsive symptoms are often earliest signs (early childhood) but also tend to DECREASE in adolescence. But 2/3s of kids with ADHD have ongoing difficulties through adulthood.

Question 8

ADHD is frequently comorbid with other disruptive behaviour disorders such as:

Answer 8

oppositional defiant disorder ( a pattern of negative defiant and hostile behaviour).

Question 9

MAIN GENETIC CAUSE FOR ADHD

Answer 9

Copy Number Variants: mutations that occur to create either extra copies of a gene on one chromosome or the result in multiple deletion of genes.

Question 10

how may ADHD have been evolutionarily adaptive?

Answer 10

may have been a good trait to have as a past hunter: can have your attention pulled by the most minute aberrancy or movement.

Question 11

ADHD is associated with a ___ coefficient of heritability

Answer 11

75% heritability.

Question 12

prenatal causes for ADHD

Answer 12

smoking, stress and alcohol use

Question 13

reciprocal interactions for kids with ADHD

Answer 13

family problems may result from interacting with a child who is difficult to manage.

Question 14

requirement for DAT1 to be implicated in ADHD

Answer 14

genetic predispositions to ADHD such as the overexpression of DAT1 gene only increases the likely hood of ADHD if there are environment factors as well.

kids with DAT1 gene mutation were more likely to exhibit the symptoms of ADHD if their mothers smoked during pregnancy.

prenatal smoking thus seems to interact with genetic predispositions to increase the risk for hyperactive and upuslive behaviours.

Question 15

brain structure differences in people with ADHD

Answer 15

there is a slight volume reduction in people with ADHD. People who receive treatment with medication tends to alleviate this difference.

Question 16

what class of medication is good at treating adhd

Answer 16

stimulants. like amphetamines (ritalin)

Question 17

mechanism as to why stimulants may help treating ADHD

Answer 17

normalizes frontostriatal structural abnormalities and functional connections

• also affects DA (represses DAT1)

Question 18

T/F stimulants have long term benefit.

Answer 18

False, positive effects of stimulants are temporary and occur only while medication is taken. There are questions surrounding long term benefit

Question 19

two main concerns about using stimulants to treat ADHD

Answer 19

1) potential for abuse. Kids with ADHD are already predisposed to substance abuse and you are giving them an abusable drug
2) long term effects are not studied, and they are still being OVERPRESCRIBED.

Question 20

In addition to behavioural interventions like using rewards to encourage kids with ADHD to sit down longer or complete their homework, what is a family-based treatment used as a psychosocial treatment?

Answer 20

parent management training: teaching families how to respond constructively to their child’s behaviours and how to structure the child’s day to help prevent difficulties.

Question 21

psychosocial treatments for ADHD in adolescence and adulthood

Answer 21

Self-management/self-control strategies
–Social skills training when applicable
–Self-advocacy
–CBT for co-morbid anxiety, mood, internalizing (e.g., eating disorders), externalizing (e.g., conduct problems, substance use problems