Lack of executive function deficits among adult ADHD individuals from a Brazilian clinical sample

Saboya, Eloisa; Coutinho, Gabriel; Segenreich, Daniel; Ayrão, Vanessa; Mattos, Paulo

doi:10.1590/S1980-57642009DN30100007

Abstract

Executive function deficits have been previously documented in individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Objective:

The current study aimed to compare measures of executive functions among a clinical sample of adults with ADHD and normal control subjects, matched for age, gender and education.

Methods:

Twenty-three self-referred adults diagnosed with ADHD according to DSM-IV criteria, and twenty-five control subjects were assessed using a neuropsychological battery which included the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Tower of Hanoi, Digit Span, Trail Making Test (A and B), Stroop Test and Raven's Progressive Matrices.

Results:

The ADHD group did not differ significantly from the control subjects on any of the measures assessed.

Conclusion:

Measures of executive functions using this test battery were unable to discriminate between adults with ADHD and control subjects in this clinical sample.

Key words:
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; attention; executive functions; neuropsychological tests; adults.

Resumo

Déficits de funções executivas foram previamente documentados em portadores de Transtorno do Déficit de Atenção e Hiperatividade (TDAH).

Objetivo:

O presente estudo objetivou comparar medidas de funções executivas entre adultos portadores de TDAH e controles normais, pareados por idade, sexo e escolaridade.

Métodos:

Vinte e três adultos auto-referidos diagnosticados como portadores de TDAH de acordo com os critérios do DSM-IV e vinte e cinco controles foram avaliados com bateria de testes neuropsicológicos, que incluía: Teste de Seleção de Cartas de Wisconsin, Torre de Hanoi, Amplitude de Dígitos , Teste das Trilhas (A e B), Teste de Stroop e Matrizes Progressivas de Raven.

Resultados:

O desempenho dos portadores de TDAH não diferiu de forma significativa dos controles em nenhum dos testes utilizados.

Conclusão:

A bateria de testes de funções executivas utilizada no presente estudo não foi capaz de discriminar adultos portadores de TDAH de controles desta amostra clínica.

Palavras-chave:
Transtorno do Déficit de Atenção e Hiperatividade; atenção; funções executivas; testes neuropsicológicos; adultos.

Texto completo disponível apenas em PDF.

Full text available only in PDF format.

References

¹
Barkley, R. Behavioral inhibition, sustained attention, and executive functions: Constructing a unifying theory of ADHD. Psychol Bull 1997;121:65-94.
²
Lezak, MD. Neuropsychological Assessment. New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press;2004.
³
Mattos P, Saboya E, Ayrão V, Segenreich D, Duchesne M, Coutinho G. Comorbid eating disorders in a Brazilian Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder adult clinical sample. Rev Bras Psiq 2004;26:248-250.
⁴
Boonstra AM, Oosterlaan J, Sergeant JA, Buitelaar JK. Executive functioning in adult ADHD: a meta-analytic review. Psychol Med 2005;35:1097-1108.
⁵
Willcutt EG, Doyle AE, Nigg JT, Faraone SV, Pennington BF. Validity of the Executive Function Theory of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Meta-Analytic Review. Biol Psychiatry 2005;57:1336-1346.
⁶
Biederman J, Petty C, Fried R, et al. Discordance between psychometric testing and questionnaire-based deficitions of executive function deficits in individuals with ADHD. J Atten Disord 2008;12:92-102.
⁷
Malloy-Diniz L, Fuentes D, Borges Leite W, Correa H, Bechara A. Impulsive behavior in adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Characterization of attentional, motor and cognitive impulsiveness. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2007;13:693-698.
⁸
Grevet EH, Baú CH, Salgado CA, et al. Interrater reliability for diagnosis in adults of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder using K-SADS-E. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2005;63:307-310.
⁹
Amorim P. Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI): validação de entrevista breve para diagnóstico de transtornos mentais. Rev Bras Psiq 2000;22:106-115.
¹⁰
Reitan RM, Wolfson D. The Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery: Theory and Clinical Interpretation. Tucson, Arizona: Neuropsychology Press;1985.
¹¹
Trenerry MR, Crosson B, DeBoe J, Leber WR. The Stroop Neuropsychological Screening Test. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources;1989.
¹²
Heaton RK. WCST-64: Computer Version. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc;2000.
¹³
Davis HP, Bajszar GM, Squire LR. Colorado Neuropsychology Tests - Version 2.0. Explicit Memory, Implicit Memory, and Problem Solving. Colorado Springs, CO: Colorado Neuropsychology Tests Co;1994.
¹⁴
Raven J, Raven JC, Court JH. Standard Progressive Matrices (Manual). Oxford: Oxford Psychologists Press, 1995.
¹⁵
Johnson DE, Epstein JN, Waid LR, Latham PK, Voronin KE, Anton RF. Neuropsychological performance deficits in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2001;16:587-604.
¹⁶
McGough JJ, Barkley RA. Diagnostic controversies in adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Am J Psychiatry 2004;161:1948-1956.
¹⁷
Biederman J, Petty C, Fried R, Black S, Faneuil A, Doyle A et al. Discordance between psychometric testing and questionnaire-based deficitions of executive function deficits in individuals with ADHD. J Atten Disord 2008;12:92-102.
¹⁸
Woods SP, Lovejoy DW, Stutts ML, Ball JD, Fals-Stewart W. Comparative efficiency of a discrepancy analysis for the classification of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2002;17:351-369.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
Jan-Mar 2009

History

Received
20 Nov 2008
Accepted
17 Feb 2009

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License

[1] ¹
Barkley, R. Behavioral inhibition, sustained attention, and executive functions: Constructing a unifying theory of ADHD. Psychol Bull 1997;121:65-94.

[2] ²
Lezak, MD. Neuropsychological Assessment. New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press;2004.

[3] ³
Mattos P, Saboya E, Ayrão V, Segenreich D, Duchesne M, Coutinho G. Comorbid eating disorders in a Brazilian Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder adult clinical sample. Rev Bras Psiq 2004;26:248-250.

[4] ⁴
Boonstra AM, Oosterlaan J, Sergeant JA, Buitelaar JK. Executive functioning in adult ADHD: a meta-analytic review. Psychol Med 2005;35:1097-1108.

[5] ⁵
Willcutt EG, Doyle AE, Nigg JT, Faraone SV, Pennington BF. Validity of the Executive Function Theory of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Meta-Analytic Review. Biol Psychiatry 2005;57:1336-1346.

[6] ⁶
Biederman J, Petty C, Fried R, et al. Discordance between psychometric testing and questionnaire-based deficitions of executive function deficits in individuals with ADHD. J Atten Disord 2008;12:92-102.

[7] ⁷
Malloy-Diniz L, Fuentes D, Borges Leite W, Correa H, Bechara A. Impulsive behavior in adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Characterization of attentional, motor and cognitive impulsiveness. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2007;13:693-698.

[8] ⁸
Grevet EH, Baú CH, Salgado CA, et al. Interrater reliability for diagnosis in adults of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder using K-SADS-E. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2005;63:307-310.

[9] ⁹
Amorim P. Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI): validação de entrevista breve para diagnóstico de transtornos mentais. Rev Bras Psiq 2000;22:106-115.

[10] ¹⁰
Reitan RM, Wolfson D. The Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery: Theory and Clinical Interpretation. Tucson, Arizona: Neuropsychology Press;1985.

[11] ¹¹
Trenerry MR, Crosson B, DeBoe J, Leber WR. The Stroop Neuropsychological Screening Test. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources;1989.

[12] ¹²
Heaton RK. WCST-64: Computer Version. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc;2000.

[13] ¹³
Davis HP, Bajszar GM, Squire LR. Colorado Neuropsychology Tests - Version 2.0. Explicit Memory, Implicit Memory, and Problem Solving. Colorado Springs, CO: Colorado Neuropsychology Tests Co;1994.

[14] ¹⁴
Raven J, Raven JC, Court JH. Standard Progressive Matrices (Manual). Oxford: Oxford Psychologists Press, 1995.

[15] ¹⁵
Johnson DE, Epstein JN, Waid LR, Latham PK, Voronin KE, Anton RF. Neuropsychological performance deficits in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2001;16:587-604.

[16] ¹⁶
McGough JJ, Barkley RA. Diagnostic controversies in adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Am J Psychiatry 2004;161:1948-1956.

[17] ¹⁷
Biederman J, Petty C, Fried R, Black S, Faneuil A, Doyle A et al. Discordance between psychometric testing and questionnaire-based deficitions of executive function deficits in individuals with ADHD. J Atten Disord 2008;12:92-102.

[18] ¹⁸
Woods SP, Lovejoy DW, Stutts ML, Ball JD, Fals-Stewart W. Comparative efficiency of a discrepancy analysis for the classification of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2002;17:351-369.

Brasil