Academic Child Psychiatry Unit

High Prevalence High Risk Program

  • Key findings (2004)

    1. Cerebellar and basal ganglia associated neurological subtle signs are significantly increased in pre-pubertal children with ADHD-CT compared to healthy control participants and age- and gender-matched children with anxiety disorders

    2. Basal ganglia associated neurological subtle signs do not differ between pre-pubertal children with ADHD-CT and dysthymic disorder, while the dysthymic disorder participants have significantly increased basal ganglia associated neurological subtle signs compared to the age- and gender-matched children with anxiety disorders and the healthy control participants

    3. Basal ganglia associated neurological subtle signs are significantly increased in children with anxiety disorders compared to the age- and gender-matched healthy control participants

    Key findings (2005)

    1. Separation anxiety disorder is increased in children with ADHD-CT and dysthymic disorder and dysthymic disorder alone.

    2. The severity of separation anxiety disorder symptoms and impairment linked to these symptoms positively correlates with the severity of executive dysfunction in these children.

    3. Spatial working memory is impaired in dysthymic disorder and ADHD-CT, separately, and when comorbid in pre-pubertal children.

    Key findings (2006)

    1. ADHD, combined type is associated with parietal-striatal-frontal dysfunction in pre-pubertal and post-pubertal young people.

    2. Males and females with ADHD, combined type have qualitatively similar parietal-striatal-frontal dysfunction.

    3. Visuospatial working memory tasks, such as mental rotation tasks, are associated with verbal and visuospatial strategies in adolescents more than children with ADHD, combined type.

    Key findings (2007)

    1. Dysthymic disorder is associated with parietal-striatal-frontal dysfunction in pre-pubertal and post-pubertal young people.

    2. Males and females with dysthymic disorder have qualitatively similar parietal-striatal-frontal dysfunction.

    3. Visuospatial working memory tasks, such as mental rotation tasks, are associated with verbal and visuospatial strategies in adolescents more than children with dysthymic disorder.