Executive function impairments in high IQ adults with ADHD.
OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate that high IQ adults diagnosed with ADHD suffer from executive function (EF) impairments that: a) can be identified with a combination of standardized measures and self-report data; and b) occur more commonly in this group than in the general population.


METHODS
157 ADHD adults with IQ >/= 120 were assessed with 8 normed measures of EF- 3 index scores from standardized tests of memory and cognitive abilities, and 5 subscales of a normed self-report measure of EF impairments in daily life.


RESULTS
73% of subjects were significantly impaired on >/= 5 of these 8 EF markers. On all 8 measures, incidence of these impairments was significantly greater than in the general population.


CONCLUSIONS
High IQ adults with ADHD tend to suffer EF impairments that can be assessed with these measures; incidence of such impairments in this group is significantly higher than in the general population.
Yale University School of Medicine, Yale Clinic for Attention and Related Disorders, New Haven, CT, USA.
Thomas E
TE
Brown
Philipp C
PC
Reichel
Donald M
DM
Quinlan
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D032882:Comprehension; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D033262:Narration; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011930:Reaction Time; D012016:Reference Values; D014888:Wechsler Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult