attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder

attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder

Attention deficit disorder Psychiatry An inability to control behavior due to difficulty in processing neural stimuli, resulting in ↑ motor activity, ↓ attention span Epidemiology ADHD is the most common neurobehavioral disorder of childhood, with a point-prevalence of 2% to 18%—depending on defining criteria; in children, the ♂:♀ ratio is 2:1; in adults, 1:2, characterized by impulsiveness, distractibility, variably accompanied by hyperactivity and/or aggressiveness, immaturity and emotional lability; although ADHD is considered idiopathic, neurochemistry and genetics may play a role Diagnosis ADHD is a diagnosis of exclusion Imaging NMR, ADHD brains may be 5% smaller in the anterior frontal region, the right caudate and globus pallidus; by PET, ADHD Pts maintain blood flow through temporal region, in contrast to controls, where the blood flow is ↓ Management Stimulants-methylphenidate-Ritalin^®, dextroamphetamine, pemoline; antidepressants–desipramine, imipramine, bupropion; alpha-adrenergic agonists–clondine DiffDx Sensory deficit, receptive language disorder, specific learning disability, seizures, emotional problems, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, problems of parent-child interaction, mental retardation See Breuning affair.