The stress response in adolescents with inattentive type ADHD symptoms.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis response to a stressor in adolescents with inattentive type attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms (ADHD-I).


METHODS
Salivary cortisol was measured in threshold inattentive (TI, n = 7), moderately inattentive (MI, n = 13) and no symptom (comparison) (n = 19) groups of healthy, young adolescents, based on symptom counts, prior to and after an induced social/cognitive stressor.


RESULTS
The TI group displayed a significant decrease in cortisol post stressor whereas both the MI and comparison groups showed an increase in cortisol.


CONCLUSIONS
The diagnostic threshold of inattentive type ADHD shows HPA axis dysregulation whereas the more mild form does not show dysfunction.
Randazzo
William T
WT
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA. wrandazzo@hmc.psu.edu
Dockray
Samantha
S
Susman
Elizabeth J
EJ
D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*
D006854:Hydrocortisone