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Impulsivity has a strong genetic component and is considered an endophenotype in many psychiatric disorders. Impulsivity in adult ADHD has become a focus of interest more recently because of its suggested prominence in this age. Objective: This study aimed to access self-reported impulsivity levels in biological parents of ADHD offspring, according to their status: non-ADHD (controls), remitted, nonremitted. Method: Impulsivity levels of 155 parents of ADHD children were compared according to their status using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). Results: The ADHD group presented the highest levels of impulsivity compared with all other groups. The remitted ADHD and control groups showed no significant differences in impulsivity levels. Conclusion: Impulsivity tended to remit alongside ADHD symptoms in remitters and to persist in those presenting with the residual form of adult ADHD suggesting it should not be considered as an endophenotype. Only the attentional dimension was impaired, cautioning against Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) impulsivity proposed criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine ADHD symptom persistence and subtype stability among substance use disorder (SUD) treatment seekers. Method: In all, 1,276 adult SUD treatment seekers were assessed for childhood and adult ADHD using Conners' Adult ADHD Diagnostic Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV; CAADID). A total of 290 (22.7%) participants met CAADID criteria for childhood ADHD and comprise the current study sample. Results: Childhood ADHD persisted into adulthood in 72.8% (n = 211) of cases. ADHD persistence was significantly associated with a family history of ADHD, and the presence of conduct disorder and antisocial personality disorder. The combined subtype was the most stable into adulthood (78.6%) and this stability was significantly associated with conduct disorder and past treatment of ADHD. Conclusion: ADHD is highly prevalent and persistent among SUD treatment seekers and is associated with the more severe phenotype that is also less likely to remit. Routine screening and follow-up assessment for ADHD is indicated to enhance treatment management and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundCourse and predictors of persistence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults are still largely unknown. Neurobiological and clinical differences between child and adult ADHD raise the need for follow-up studies of patients diagnosed during adulthood. This study investigates predictors of ADHD persistence and the possibility of full remission 7 years after baseline assessment.MethodA 7-year follow-up study of adults with ADHD (n = 344, mean age 34.1 years, 49.9% males) was conducted. Variables from different domains (social demographics, co-morbidities, temperament, medication status, ADHD measures) were explored with the aim of finding potential predictors of ADHD persistence.ResultsRetention rate was 66% (n = 227). Approximately a third of the sample (n = 70, 30.2%) did not maintain ADHD criteria and 28 (12.4%) presented full remission (<4 symptoms), independently of changes in co-morbidity or cognitive demand profiles. Baseline predictors of diagnostic persistence were higher number of inattention symptoms [odds ratio (OR) 8.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.54–25.45, p < 0.001], number of hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04–1.34, p = 0.01), oppositional defiant disorder (OR 3.12, 95% CI 1.20–8.11, p = 0.02), and social phobia (OR 3.59, 95% CI 1.12–11.47, p = 0.03).ConclusionsDespite the stage of brain maturation in adults suggests stability, approximately one third of the sample did not keep full DSM-IV diagnosis at follow-up, regardless if at early, middle or older adulthood. Although full remission is less common than in childhood, it should be considered as a possible outcome among adults. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]