Motor Activity in Adult Patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
OBJECTIVE
Hyperactivity is a core symptom of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but limited information is available on analysis of activity patterns in this disorder. The aim of the study was to analyze motor activity during daily living in adult patients with ADHD.


METHODS
Patients (n=76) from the private psychiatric practice of two of the authors were recruited, and were compared to patients with other psychiatric disorders and to normal controls. Actigraphs were used to record motor activity for six days, with one minute intervals, and data were analysed using linear and non-linear mathematical methods.


RESULTS
For short recording periods (300 minutes) the activity levels of ADHD patients do not differ from normal controls, but the autocorrelation (lag 1) is lower and Fourier analysis shows higher power in the high frequency range, corresponding to the period from 2-8 min. During recordings for six days there are no significant differences between ADHD patients and the control groups. The combined and inattentive subgroups differ only in the six days recordings. The Fourier analyses show that the combined type has lower power in the high frequency range, corresponding to the period from 4-8 hours, and in the analysis of rhythms the intra-daily variability is lower, compared to the inattentive type.


CONCLUSIONS
Adult ADHD patients do not show evidence of hyperactivity, but have levels of activity similar to normal controls. However, on several measures ADHD patients display altered activity patterns, indicating that the regulation of motor activity in this disorder is different from controls.
Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. ; Department of Clinical Medicine, Section for Psychiatry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. ; K.G. Jebsen Centre for Research on Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Bergen, Norway.
Ole Bernt
OB
Fasmer
Madlamarkveien 2a, Hafrsfjord, Norway.
Kristin
K
Mjeldheim
Lagårdsveien 91, Stavanger, Norway.
Wenche
W
Førland
Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway/Centre for Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
Anita L
AL
Hansen
Comprehensive Doctors Medical Group, Arcadia, CA, USA.
Steven
S
Dilsaver
Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. ; Department of Clinical Medicine, Section for Psychiatry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. ; K.G. Jebsen Centre for Research on Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Bergen, Norway.
Ketil J
KJ
Oedegaard
Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
Jan Øystein
JØ
Berle
ADHD; Actigraph; Autocorrelation; Fourier analysis; Motor activity