Neuropsychological studies of late onset and subthreshold diagnoses of adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Data(s) |
15/11/2006
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Resumo |
Background Diagnosing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults is difficult when the diagnostician cannot establish an onset prior to the DSM-IV criterion of age 7 or if the number of symptoms recalled does not achieve the DSM-IV threshold for diagnosis. Because neuropsychological deficits are associated with ADHD, we addressed the validity of the DSM-IV age at onset and symptom threshold criteria by using neuropsychological test scores as external validators. Methods We compared four groups of adults: 1) full ADHD subjects met all DSM-IV criteria for childhood-onset ADHD; 2) late-onset ADHD subjects met all criteria except the age at onset criterion; 3) subthreshold ADHD subjects did not meet full symptom criteria; and 4) non-ADHD subjects did not meet any of the above criteria. Results Late-onset and full ADHD subjects had similar patterns of neuropsychological dysfunction. By comparison, subthreshold ADHD subjects showed few neuropsychological differences with non-ADHD subjects. Conclusions Our results showing similar neuropsychological underpinning in subjects with late-onset ADHD suggest that the DSM-IV age at onset criterion may be too stringent. Our data also suggest that ADHD subjects who failed to ever meet the DSM-IV threshold for diagnosis have a milder form of the disorder. |
Identificador | |
Publicador |
Elsevier Inc. |
Relação |
DOI:10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.03.060 Faraone, Stephen V., Biederman, Joseph, Doyle, Alysa, Murray, Kate, Petty, Carter, Adamson, Joel J., & Seidman, Larry (2006) Neuropsychological studies of late onset and subthreshold diagnoses of adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Biological Psychiatry, 60(10), pp. 1081-1087. |
Fonte |
Faculty of Health; Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation; School of Psychology & Counselling |
Palavras-Chave | #170102 Developmental Psychology and Ageing #170106 Health Clinical and Counselling Psychology #attention deficit disorder (ADD) #attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) #neuropsychology #diagnosis #adult #subthreshold |
Tipo |
Journal Article |