title: Autonomic reactivity in clinically referred children attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder versus anxiety disorder.
abstract: This study examined whether children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have lower autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity and show less stress reactivity than children with an anxiety disorder. It also explored whether such a difference was accounted for by comorbid oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) or conduct disorder (CD) in some of the ADHD children. Forty-three referred children performed a stress task, during which skin conductance (SCL) and heart rate (HR) levels were measured. Results showed that the ADHD group had similar SCL responses as the anxiety disorder group, but showed less HR reactivity immediately after the stress task. The ADHD with ODD/CD group had a slightly higher HR level than the pure ADHD group, but showed similar SCL and HR reactivity and recovery. It was concluded that ADHD children have less HR reactivity immediately after stress than children with an anxiety disorder, which was not accounted for by comorbid ODD/CD symptoms, and which may be related to a stronger parasympathetic than sympathetic activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Sophia Children's Hospital, 3000 CB Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Natasja D J
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: van Lang
authors.forename: Joke H M
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Tulen
authors.forename: Victor L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Kallen
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rosbergen
authors.forename: Gwen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dieleman
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Ferdinand
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology