Study of neurological soft signs in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

ABSTRACT

This study was performed to provide data on the prevalence of neurological soft signs in children with Attention Deficit hyperactivity Disorder [ADHD] and detect its correlation with intellectual function and age of the child. Fifty patients with ADHD according to the DSM-IV criteria [mean age, 9.3 years, SD= 1.51 years] participated in the study. They were referred from the outpatient clinic of psychiatry at Assiut University hospital and from the private clinics of the staff members of neuropsychiatry, were evaluated with the Cambridge Neurological Inventory to assess neurological soft signs and Stand ford Binet 4th edition to assess the intellectual and cognitive functions. Fifty healthy controls matched with patients groups in Age, sex and socioeconomic state were assessed using the same tools. A significantly high incidence of neurological soft signs was fund in the patient's group and statistically insignificant among ADHD subtypes with significant negative correlation with IQ and age of the child. The Spearman correlation coefficient between NSS score and IQ and age are 0.672 and 0.283 respectively [p=<0. 001, 0.009]. Presence of neurological soft signs in ADHD is a non-specific marker of neurological abnormality but indicate poor intellectual and cognitive Junctions of ADHD