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ADHD in adults: a concept in evolution

  • Review Article
  • Published:
ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders

Abstract

Although attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been recognized as a disorder affecting individuals across the life cycle since the end of the nineties, there is still considerable debate on how to conceptualize the disorder in adults, and on the best way to operationalize diagnostic criteria for this age range. In this comprehensive non-systematic review of the literature, we provide data about prevalence and presentation of ADHD in adulthood as well as discuss major problems in applying criteria developed for children in assessing adults (clinical utility, threshold of symptoms for diagnosis, full ADHD diagnosis in childhood, information source, and additional dimensions for diagnosis—executive functioning impairment and emotional impulsivity). In addition, we provide some recommendations for improving ADHD diagnostic criteria in adulthood.

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Acknowledgments

This review is part of the formative phase for a research project financed by the Brazilian National Council of Technological and Scientific Development—CNPq (159782/2011-2). Dr. Grevet receives a postdoc scholarship from the CNPq, Brazil. The authors thank Dr. Rachel Klein for her expertise and for her kind help in reviewing this paper.

Conflict of interest

Dr. Luis Augusto Rohde was on the speakers’ bureau and/or acted as consultant for Eli-Lilly, Janssen-Cilag, Novartis, and Shire in the last 3 years (less than U$ 10,000 per year and reflecting less than 5 % of his gross income per year). He also received travel awards (air tickets and hotel) to take part of two Child Psychiatric Meetings from Janssen-Cilag and Novartis in 2010. The ADHD and Juvenile Bipolar Disorder Outpatient Programs chaired by him received unrestricted educational and research support from the following pharmaceutical companies in the last 3 years: Eli-Lilly, Janssen-Cilag, Novartis, and Shire. Dr. Matte and Dr. Grevet have no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ADHD Outpatient Program, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2350, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Breno Matte, Luis Augusto Rohde & Eugenio Horácio Grevet

  2. National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Luis Augusto Rohde

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  1. Breno Matte
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  2. Luis Augusto Rohde
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  3. Eugenio Horácio Grevet
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Correspondence to Luis Augusto Rohde.

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Matte, B., Rohde, L.A. & Grevet, E.H. ADHD in adults: a concept in evolution. ADHD Atten Def Hyp Disord 4, 53–62 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12402-012-0077-3

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