Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis, lifespan, comorbidities, and neurobiology.

Full Abstract

In this report, we provide an evidence-based overview of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), including diagnosis, prevalence, developmental expression of symptoms, persistence, the heterogeneity of functional outcome, impairment in afflicted adults, psychiatric comorbidity, pathophysiology, genetics, psychosocial and biologic risk factors, and neurobiology. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is an early-onset, highly prevalent neurobehavioral disorder, with genetic, environmental, and biologic etiologies, that persists into adolescence and adulthood in a sizable majority of afflicted children of both sexes. It is characterized by behavioral symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity across the life cycle and is associated with considerable morbidity and disability. Comorbidity is a distinct clinical feature of both childhood and adult ADHD. Although its etiology remains unclear, emerging evidence documents its strong neurobiologic and genetic underpinnings. Despite the high diagnostic reliability and the robust evidence of the validity of ADHD, there are many underlying issues that remain to be resolved. These include establishing developmentally appropriate diagnostic criteria at older ages, further elaborating the impact of gender on symptom expression, and examining risk and protective factors in relationship to prevention or amelioration of ADHD as well as related functional impairments.

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Spencer, Thomas J (TJ); Biederman, Joseph (J); Mick, Eric (E);

Affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA. tspencer(-atsign-)partners.org

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Review

Journal: Ambulatory pediatrics : the official journal of the Ambulatory Pediatric Association (Ambul Pediatr), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2007 Jan-Feb; vol 7 (issue 1 Suppl) : pp 73-81

Dates: Created 2007/01/30; Completed 2007/11/06;

PMID: 17261486, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Aging
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - diagnosis; epidemiology; genetics
Comorbidity
Conduct Disorder - epidemiology
Female
Humans

Humans
Learning Disorders - epidemiology
Male
Neurobiology
Prevalence
Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

See 100+ related articles.