Week 8 - Understanding life with ADHD Flashcards
What is meant by a neurodevelopmental condition?
A condition stemming from atypical early development of the nervous system due to the interaction of genetic, neurobiological and environmental influences
In children and adolescents, are the majority of people diagnosed with ADHD male or female?
Male
What are people diagnosed with ADHD more at risk of developing in later life?
Learning, behavioural and emotional problems
What condition is commonly comorbid with ADHD?
Autism
What are some of the common features of the conditions comorbid with ADHD?
- Dyslexia
- Conduct disorder
Is it possible to diagnose ADHD if symptoms were only present as an adult?
No
What are the three subtypes of ADHD?
- Inattentive
- Hyperactive/impulsive
- Combined
What is hyperkinetic disorder?
A condition which closely aligns with ADHD and includes symptoms of inattention and overactivity
Are there differences in diagnosis in terms of presentation types of ADHD? What are they?
Yes - females are more likely than males to have inattentive presentation
How much greater is the risk of being diagnosed with ADHD for children who have siblings/other family members with a diagnosis?
Nine times
What is meant by concordance?
The probability that a pair of individuals will both have a condition, given that one of them has it
What is meant by heritability?
The degree to which variability of a condition in the population can be accounted for by genetics
What is the mean (average) heritability rate for ADHD across the world?
74%, making ADHD one of the most heritable psychiatric conditions
To date, what are the two main methods of studies used to identify specific genes that may play a role in ADHD?
- Linkage studies
- Candidate gene studies
What are candidate gene studies?
Studies in which researchers select genes based on neurobiological studies or theoretical considerations and compare these directly in different groups of people
