OBJECTIVETo investigate the cognitive characteristics in early school-age children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using event-related potential (ERP) and Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), as well as the correlation between ERP and behavioral problems.

METHODSA total of 22 children aged 6-7 years with ADHD and 19 healthy children matched by age were enrolled. Continue Performance Test-AX (CPT-AX) was performed for ERP test. The amplitude and latency of N2 and P3 of Go and Nogo were compared. The CBCL was completed by the parents, and the correlation between behavioral factors and ERP was analyzed.

RESULTSThe ADHD group had a significantly higher number of ERP omissions than the normal control group (10±8 vs 5±4; P<0.05), while the reaction time and number of commission errors showed no significant differences between the two groups (P>0.05). The ADHD group showed a significantly lower Go-N2 amplitude than the normal control group (-8±5 μV vs -10±4 μV; P<0.05). In the ADHD group, the detection rates of hyperactivity, attack, and discipline violation were 27%, 27% and 9% respectively. The scores on attack and discipline violation subscales were negatively correlated with the Go-N2 amplitude of ERP (r=-0.43 and -0.48 respectively; P<0.05), while the score on hyperactivity subscale was positively correlated with the latency of Go-P3 (r=0.50, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe early school-age children with ADHD show the tendency to the impairment of attention/executive function, but the inhibition function defect has not been noted. In early school-age children with ADHD, the behavioral problems such as hyperactivity, attack, and discipline violation are associated with ERP.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Child ; Child Behavior Disorders ; etiology ; Evoked Potentials ; physiology ; Humans

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to use meta-analysis to examine recent domestic articles related to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in school-age children. METHODS: After reviewing 213 articles published between 1990 and 2009 from and cited in RISS, KISS, and DBpia, the researchers identified 24 studies with 440 research variables that had appropriate data for methodological study. SPSS 17.0 program was used. The outcome variables were divided into five types: Inattention, hyperactive impulsive, intrinsic, extrinsic, and academic ability variables. RESULTS: Effects size of overall core symptoms was 0.47 which is moderate level in terms of Cohen criteria and effects size of overall negative variables related ADHD was 0.27 which is small level. The most dominant variable related to ADHD was obtained from hyperactive-impulsive (0.70). Also academic ability (0.45), inattention (0.37), and intrinsic variables (0.29) had a small effect whereas extrinsic variables (0.13) had little effect on descriptive ADHD study. CONCLUSION: The results reveal that ADHD core symptoms have moderate effect size and peripheral negative variables related ADHD have small effect size. To improve the reliability of the meta-analysis results by minimizing publication bias, more intervention studies using appropriate study designs should be done.
Adolescent ; Attention ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/*etiology ; Child ; Child Psychology ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Task Performance and Analysis

OBJECTIVETo study the features of various subtypes of attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) in children.

METHODSSex composition, risk factors, comorbidities, intelligence quotient and behavioral problems were investigated in 175 children with ADHD who met the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder Criteria (DSM-IV). The children were classified into three groups: ADHD predominantly inattentive (ADHD-I, n=82), ADHD predominantly hyperactive-impulsive (ADHD-HI, n=24) and ADHD combined type (ADHD-C, n=69).

RESULTSThere were no significant differences in the sex composition among the three groups. The rates of birth abnormality in the ADHD-I and the ADHD-C groups were higher than those in the ADHD-HI group. Negative parenting practices were noted more frequently in the ADHD-HI and the ADHD-C groups than the ADHD-I group. There were no significant differences in the performance intelligence quotient (PIQ), verbal intelligence quotient (VIQ) and full intelligence quotient (FIQ) among the three groups. However, the incidence of imbalance between VIQ and PIQ in the ADHD-I group was higher than the other two groups. The rate of comorbidities with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and tic disorder (TD) in the ADHD-C and the ADHD-HI groups was higher than that in the ADHD-I group. Both the ADHD-I and the ADHD-C groups had a higher rate of comorbidities with learning disorder (LD) than the ADHD-HI group. The impulsive/hyperactive and conduct problems were more severe and the hyperactivity index was higher in the ADHD-C and the ADHD-HI groups than those in the ADHD-I group, while the learning difficulties in the ADHD-I group were the most severe.

CONCLUSIONSThe children with ADHD-C or ADHD-HI have higher incidences of comorbidities with ODD and TD than those with ADHD-I who the learning difficulties and the imbalance between VIQ and PIQ are more severe.

Adolescent ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity ; classification ; psychology ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Learning Disorders ; etiology ; Male ; Risk Factors

Depression during adolescence is critical to the individual's own development. Hence, identifying individuals with high-risk depression at an early stage is necessary. This study aimed to identify childhood emotional and behavioral risk factors related to depressive symptoms in Korean adolescents through a longitudinal study. The first survey took place from 1998 to 2000, and a follow-up assessment conducted in 2006, as the original participants reached 13-15 yr of age. The first assessment used the Korean version of Child Behavior Checklist and a general questionnaire on family structure, parental education, and economic status to evaluate the participants. The follow-up assessment administered the Korean Children's Depression Inventory. Multiple regression analysis revealed that childhood attention problems predicted depressive symptoms during adolescence for both boys and girls. For boys, family structure also predicted adolescent depressive symptoms. This study suggests that adolescents with attention problems during childhood are more likely to experience depressive symptoms.
Adolescent ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/etiology/*psychology ; Depression/complications/diagnosis/*psychology ; Depressive Disorder/complications/diagnosis/*psychology ; Family ; Female ; Humans ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; Questionnaires ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors

BACKGROUND: There have been inconsistent findings reported on maternal passive smoking during pregnancy and child risk of ADHD. In this study, ADHD symptoms at pre-school age children in association with prenatal passive and active tobacco smoke exposure determined by maternal plasma cotinine levels in the third trimester were investigated. METHODS: This was a follow-up study of the birth cohort: the Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health. Children whose parents answered Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to identify child ADHD symptoms (hyperactivity/inattention and conduct problems) and total difficulties at age 5 years with available maternal plasma cotinine level at the third trimester were included (n = 3216). Cotinine levels were categorized into 4 groups; ≦ 0.21 ng/ml (non-smoker), 0.22-0.51 ng/ml (low-passive smoker), 0.52-11.48 ng/ml (high-passive smoker), and ≧ 11.49 ng/ml (active smoker). RESULTS: Maternal cotinine levels of active smokers were significantly associated with an increased risk of total difficulties (OR = 1.67) and maternal low- and high-passive smoking also increased the risk (OR = 1.11, 1.25, respectively) without statistical significance. Similarly, maternal cotinine levels of active smokers were associated with an increased risk of hyperactivity/inattention (OR = 1.49). Maternal low- and high-passive smoking and active smoking increased the risk of hyperactivity/inattention (OR = 1.45, 1.43, and OR = 1.59, respectively) only in boys. CONCLUSION Our findings suggested that maternal active smoking during pregnancy may contribute to the increased risk of child total difficulties and hyperactivity/inattention at pre-school age. Pregnant women should be encouraged to quit smoking and avoid exposure to tobacco smoke.
Adult ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity ; epidemiology ; etiology ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Child, Preschool ; Cotinine ; blood ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Japan ; epidemiology ; Male ; Maternal Exposure ; adverse effects ; Mothers ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Risk ; Sex Factors ; Tobacco Smoking ; adverse effects ; epidemiology