[Neuropsychological follow-up of attention deficit/hyperactive disorder in adulthood before and after treatment with methylphenidate].
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adulthood is frequently overlooked. Motor restlessness, impulsivity, low frustration tolerance, and conduct disorders are diagnostically ambiguous, but are predominantly ascribed to affective disorders, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. Furthermore, substance-induced addiction may develop consecutively to untreated ADHD. We report on a case of primary diagnosis of ADHD in adulthood with secondary cocaine dependency, who was neuropsychologically assessed before and following treatment with methylphenidate. Frequency of errors and reaction time in performance on attention tests, concentration tasks, and multiple stimuli-/reaction tasks improved under treatment with methylphenidate. ADHD may be treated efficiently even after primary diagnosis in adulthood. Differential diagnosis of ADHD should be considered in disorders associated with motor hyperactivity, impulsivity, stress intolerance and conduct disorders.
Brüne
M
M
Zentrum für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum. Martin.Bruene@ruhr-uni-bochum.de
Bodenstein
L
L
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D008774:Methylphenidate