Factor Structure of Repetitive Behaviors Across Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - Restricted interests and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and commonly occur in...     

Time-to-Collision Estimations in Young Drivers with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - Individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may exhibit driving difficulties due to cognitive...     

Quantitative Linkage for Autism Spectrum Disorders Symptoms in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Significant Locus on Chromosome 7q11

We studied 261 ADHD probands and 354 of their siblings to assess quantitative trait loci associated with autism spectrum disorder symptoms (as measured by the Children’s Social Behavior Questionnaire (CSBQ)) using a genome-wide linkage approach, followed by locus-wide association analysis. A genome-wide significant locus for the CSBQ subscale addressing social interaction was found on chromosome 7q11, with suggestive signals supporting this locus on three other CSBQ subscales. We identified two other suggestive loci for the CSBQ total scale and individual subscales on chromosomes 4q35 and 7p12. Fine-mapping the significantly linked locus resulted in interesting candidate genes, although their association was not significant after permutation testing.     

Treatment for Co-Occurring Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Interest in the co-occurrence of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has grown in the last decade. Research on clinical populations supports the frequent co-occurrence of ADHD traits (e.g., hyperactivity) in individuals with ASD and ASD traits (e.g., social communication deficits) in individuals with ADHD. Similar trends in co-occurring traits have been observed in population-based samples, as well as family and genetic studies of affected individuals. Despite increased interest in co-occurring ADHD and ASD, relatively little research has been devoted to treatment considerations. The vast majority of intervention research has examined pharmacological treatment using traditional ADHD medications. Relatively few psychosocial interventions have directly addressed co-occurring symptoms. Treatment development will benefit from enhanced understanding of the phenomenon of co-occurring ADHD and ASD. Key topics for future research include examining developmental trajectories of co-occurring disorders, comorbid psychiatric conditions, deficits in social skills, and the nature of executive functioning impairment in individuals with co-occurring ADHD and ASD. In the current review, research in these areas is reviewed along with recommendation for future study. Given that clinicians are routinely observing and treating individuals with co-occurring symptoms, further research will yield needed information to inform intervention development and maximize benefits for affected individuals.     

Emerging Association Between Addictive Gaming and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Children's and adolescent's use of computer games and videogames is becoming highly popular and has increased dramatically over the last decade. There is growing evidence of high prevalence of addiction to computer games and videogames among children, which is causing concern because of its harmful consequences. There is also emerging evidence of an association between computer game and videogame addiction and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This is indicated by the occurrence of gaming addiction as a co-morbid disorder of ADHD, common physiological and pharmacological mechanisms, and potential genetic association between the two disorders. A proper understanding of the psychological and neurotransmitter mechanisms underlying both disorders is important for appropriate diagnostic classification of both disorders. Furthermore, it is important for development of potential pharmacological treatment of both disorders. Relatively few studies have investigated the common mechanisms for both disorders. This paper reviews new findings, trends, and developments in the field. The paper is based on a literature search, in Medline and PUBMED, using the keywords addictive gaming and ADHD, of articles published between 2000 and 2012.     

Possible Link Between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Reproductive Complications

BACKGROUND: Initially conceptualized as a disorder of childhood, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is now emerging as a chronic disorder that may present in adolescence and persist into adulthood. Failure to recognize this common disorder in childhood may lead to disabling comorbid symptoms and a poor long-term prognosis in adulthood. Young adults with undiagnosed ADHD experience significant psychiatric comorbidity, including high rates of drug dependency and lower levels of global functioning. The public health consequences of poor impulse control (e.g., delinquency, criminal activity, drug use, risky sexual behaviors, high-risk pregnancies) are emerging, and a link between ADHD and poverty seems highly probable. CASE REPORT: I explore the sexual behaviors, and their consequences, of a young adolescent female. Her reproductive complications led me to consider undiagnosed ADHD. CONCLUSION: The long-term prognosis when ADHD is unrecognized and untreated in the adolescent is discouraging: maternal and perinatal morbidity may be anticipated and are biologically plausible. The actual assessment of risk in the setting of pregnancy and unrecognized ADHD remains largely unknown, and the benefits of timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment of ADHD during pregnancy have yet to be addressed. The following case presentation suggests an association between undiagnosed ADHD and reproductive complications.     

Brief Report: Predictors of School Refusal Due to Bullying in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are at increased risk for bullying victimization....     

Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in the Context of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are frequently marked by symptoms consistent with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), namely inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Recent work has established that about half of the ASD population also meets diagnostic criteria for ADHD, although the comorbid diagnoses are precluded by the DSM-IV-TR. Individuals with co-occurring ASD and ADHD symptoms are more severely impaired, with significant deficits seen in social processing, adaptive functioning, and executive control. Children with ASD and ADHD symptoms are also prone to motor problems, which lead to especially poor outcomes. Recent work has also demonstrated high rates of ASD symptoms in a subset of children with ADHD. Medication studies have demonstrated the efficacy of methylphenidate, atomoxetine, and guanfacine, among others, in treating ADHD symptoms co-occurring with ASD. However, these effects were not as great as those seen when treating primary ADHD, and they are less well-tolerated in the ASD population.     

Anxiety Symptoms in Boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder,Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,or Chronic Multiple Tic Disorder and Community Controls

We compared symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and separation anxiety disorder (SAD) in 5 groups of boys with neurobehavioral syndromes: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) plus autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD plus chronic multiple tic disorder (CMTD), ASD only, ADHD only, and community Controls. Anxiety symptoms were assessed using parent and teacher versions of a DSM-IV-referenced rating scale. All three groups of boys with co-morbid ADHD evidenced more severe anxiety than Controls. Group differences in anxiety varied as a function of symptom, disorder, informant, and co-morbidity supporting the notion that co-morbid neurobehavioral syndromes differentially impact clinical features of co-occurring anxiety symptoms. Findings also suggest that GAD and SAD are phenomenologically unique, even in children with ASD. Implications for nosology are discussed.     

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Telemental Health

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders diagnosed in children and adolescents (youth). ADHD is equally distributed geographically, but services are not. Access to expert evaluation and treatment remains limited for youth with ADHD living in rural areas, as well as for ethnic and racial minority youth. Telepsychiatry is a service delivery model with the potential to reach these youth and to develop collaborative models of care among local primary care physicians, remote telepsychiatrists, and local families. Care delivered through telepsychiatry can readily adhere to the practice parameters of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Work to date indicates that ADHD is the most common disorder treated through telepsychiatry. This article reviews the status of child and adolescent telepsychiatry, with particular focus on its potential to improve the care and outcomes of underserved populations of youth diagnosed with ADHD.     

Oppositional Defiant and Conduct Disorder Behaviors in Boys With Autism Spectrum Disorder With and Without Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Versus Several Comparison Samples

We compared disruptive behaviors in boys with either autism spectrum disorder (ASD) plus ADHD (n = 74), chronic multiple tic disorder plus ADHD (n = 47), ADHD Only (n = 59), or ASD Only (n = 107). Children were evaluated with parent and teacher versions of the Child Symptom Inventory-4 including parent- (n = 168) and teacher-rated (n = 173) community controls. Parents rated children in the three ADHD groups comparably for each symptom of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder. Teacher ratings indicated that the ASD + ADHD group evidenced a unique pattern of ODD symptom severity, differentiating them from the other ADHD groups, and from the ASD Only group. The clinical features of ASD appear to influence co-morbid, DSM-IV-defined ODD, with implications for nosology.