ATTENTION-DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD)

Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Introduction

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a real, lifelong condition characterized by core symptoms of inattention, distractibility, impulsivity, and hyperactivity-although these are by no means the only problems a person with ADHD encounters. The disorder results in behaviors that affect almost every aspect of a person's life resulting in impaired functioning that commonly persists into adulthood (Achenbach & Edelbrock, 1983). The neurobiological basis for ADHD is thought to be the result of problems with the brain's chemical neurotransmitters, particularly dopamine and nor epinephrine. Recent advances in technologies (brain scans and imaging studies) have helped to uncover several differences in the brains of people diagnosed with ADHD.

ADHD is present from birth (congenital) and inherited in most cases. However, in most people, symptoms do not appear for several years. At younger ages, hyperactivity is the most commonly observed symptom. Inattentiveness and problems with organization and executive functions are not usually seen until much later as life's demands increase or symptoms overwhelm a person's ability to cope.

Diagnosis and Discussion

Over the life span, symptoms of ADHD may change. What first appears as out-of-seat behavior, daydreaming, and careless mistakes in childhood may become inner restlessness, failure to plan ahead, incomplete projects, and forgetfulness in adulthood. In general, women and girls with ADHD are less hyperactive and more inattentive than males with the disorder. For a girl with ADHD, symptoms may not affect her functioning for years if she receives a lot of support at home or at school, has a high IQ or if she works hard and uses coping strategies. People with ADHD commonly demonstrate a mix of symptoms; however, and a girl or woman will be diagnosed with one of the various types of ADHD depending on her predominant symptom presentation (Barkley, 2006).

Despite the many recent technological advances for the diagnosis of various medical conditions, AI) HI) remains a diagnosis based purely on the presence of a set of behaviors or symptoms that are of such intensity that they significantly affect a person's ability to function on a day-to-day basis over a period of time. Although abnormalities in certain areas of the brain have been seen on scans in numerous research studies, these findings represent group differences from normal control values and are not currently available or valid to make the diagnosis of ADHD in individual cases. In addition, while gene abnormalities have been found to occur more often in peopic with AI) HD and their families, genetic testing for ADHD cannot be obtained routinely.

Over the years, other neurologic, psychological, and educational tests have been used in an attempt to make the diagnosis of ADHD more objective, but these too, have met with little success. Poor performance on vigilance testing (also known as continuous performance testing), once thought to be a marker for the inattention and impulsivity of AI) HI), has been found to be ineffective for the diagnosis of ADHD. This is particularly true for inattentive-only females who would concentrate ...