Impaired cortical inhibition in adult ADHD patients: a study with transcranial magnetic stimulation.
The aim of this study was to analyze motor inhibition and facilitation of adult ADHD patients using double pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Twenty-six right handed adult ADHD patients according to DSM-IV were investigated and compared to 26 age and sex-matched controls. In the left hemisphere, mean motor inhibition was 0.53 +/- 0.33 (mean +/- SD) in ADHD patients and 0.34 +/- 0.16 (mean +/- SD) in controls (p = 0.012). There were no significant differences in motor excitability concerning facilitation or in the right hemisphere. Decreased motor inhibition correlated with a higher symptom score derived from the Wender Reimherr Interview (WRI) (p = 0.28; p = 0.04) and also with self rated hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms (p = 0.30; p = 0.03). In conclusion, decreased motor inhibition in adult ADHD corroborate similar findings in children with ADHD (Moll et al., 2000) and reflect disturbed impulsivity and hyperactivity on a neurophysiological level.
Schneider
M
M
Institute for Forensic Psychology and Psychiatry, University of the Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany. marc.schneider@uniklinik-saarland.de
Retz
W
W
Freitag
C
C
Irsch
J
J
Graf
P
P
Retz-Junginger
P
P
Rösler
M
M
D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004056:Differential Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D004576:Electromyography; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000502:physiology*; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation