Executive and emotional deficits in patients with ADHD

FACUNDO MANES

Santiago de Chile

Congreso; 2nd International Congress of Biological Psychiatry; 2007

World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry

Introduction: A prevailing theory of mechanism underlying idiopathic ADHD is that the disorder reflects principally a dysregulation of executive functions. In recent years, researchers have investigated the cognitive profiles of ADHD in adults using several neuropsychological instruments. However, no clear pathognomonic profile for this condition has emerged. Our objective was to detect specific executive and emotional decision-making deficits in adult ADHD patients. Method: Twenty four unmedicated adult ADHD patient (DSM-IV criteria) and twelve normal controls underwent a standard neuropsychological examination followed by an executive battery that includd: Theory of Mind tasks, the Hotel Task, the Met-hv and the Iowa Gambling task (IGT). The Iowa Gambling Task aims to characterie abnormalities in social and emotional decision-making usin a standardized laboratory procedure. Results: All ADHD patients had standard cognitive tests within normal ranges. Significant differences were found between ADHD and normal controls in: a) “Theory of Mind” tasks (p