Specificity of Neurological and Neurocognitive Function in Children with Attention-Deficit Disorder
Resource
THE 13TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN NEUROPYSCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION v. 2002 pp.MARCH 9-12
Journal
THE 13TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN
Journal Volume
v.
Journal Issue
NEUROPYSCHIATRIC
Pages
MARC-H
Date Issued
2002
Date
2002
Author(s)
GAU, SUSAN SHUR-FEN
Abstract
Background: Previous studies of clinical samples of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have suggested that ADHD may be associated with a range of neuropsychologic and neurologic deficits . The objective of this study is to examine the neuropsychiatric correlates of ADHD and their specificity in a non-clinical sample. Methods : Subjects including 203 offspring aged 7-18 of parents with substance use disorders, anxiety/depression, and controls in a longitudinal family study. Among them, 35 were children with DSM-IIIR diagnosis of ADHD. A comprehensive battery of structured measures of psychiatric, neurologic and neuropsychologic function was administered blindly by experienced clinicians. Results: After controlling for parental disorders, perinatal factors, comorbid psychiatric disorders and sociodemographic variables, children with ADHD were more likely than those without ADHD to have lower IQ, shorter spatial memory span, minor physical anomalies (MPAs) , particularly high-arched palate, abnormal mini-mental status, and abnormal fine motor movements and associated movements on neurologic examination. Integration of these findings revealed that freedom from distractibility ( Weschler) and associated movements were the leading factors discriminating children with ADHD from those with other or no psychiatric disorders. Conclusion: The characteristic neuropsychiatric deficits in these children may inform studies of the neural pathways underlying ADHD, as well as potential etiologic mechanisms. These findings also suggest the importance of early intensive educational intervention.