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Neuropsychological Weaknesses in Adult ADHD; Cognitive Functions as Core Deficit and Roles of Them in Persistence to Adulthood

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2012

Ozan Pazvantoğlu ,
Arzu Alptekin Aker ,
Koray Karabekiroğlu ,
Seher Akbaş ,
Gökhan Sarısoy ,
Saliha Baykal ,
Işıl Zabun Korkmaz ,
Emel Alkan Pazvantoğlu ,
Ömer Böke  and
Ahmet Rifat Şahin
Ozan Pazvantoğlu*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Ondokuz Mayis University, School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey
Arzu Alptekin Aker
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Ondokuz Mayis University, School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey
Koray Karabekiroğlu
Affiliation:
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ondokuz Mayis University, School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey
Seher Akbaş
Affiliation:
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ondokuz Mayis University, School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey
Gökhan Sarısoy
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Ondokuz Mayis University, School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey
Saliha Baykal
Affiliation:
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ondokuz Mayis University, School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey
Işıl Zabun Korkmaz
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Ondokuz Mayis University, School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey
Emel Alkan Pazvantoğlu
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Mental Health Hospital, Samsun, Turkey
Ömer Böke
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Ondokuz Mayis University, School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey
Ahmet Rifat Şahin
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Ondokuz Mayis University, School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Ozan Pazvantoglu, Ondokuz Mayis Üniversitesi Hastanesi, Psikiyatri Polikliniği, 55139, Kurupelit, Samsun, Turkey. E-mail: ozanpazvantoglu@gmail.com
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Abstract

Prior investigations have shown that individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have impaired neuropsychological functions. This study had two aims, first to investigate weakened cognitive functions in adult ADHD (aADHD), and second, to investigate difference between persisters (those having persistently ongoing ADHD diagnosis in adulthood), and remitters (those having ADHD diagnosis only in childhood and not in adulthood), in terms of cognitive deficits. We evaluated performance on a comprehensive neuropsychological battery in three groups including 34 persisters, 35 remitters, and 35 healthy control group (absence of childhood and adulthood ADHD diagnosis). Our findings showed that adults with ADHD have inefficient attention, interference control and set-shifting functions, which may be revealed on neuropsychological tests that require greater cognitive demand. Given the finding that interference control deficit exists across the lifespan in people with ADHD, we suggest that interference control-associated functional weakness may be a core deficit for ADHD. (JINS, 2012, 18, 1–8)

Keywords

ADHDNeuropsychological impairmentInterference controlCore deficitAdult
Type
Research Articles
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 18 , Issue 5 , September 2012 , pp. 819 - 826
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2012

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