Is Processing Speed (Gs) related to Hyperactivity (As a Narrow Cognitive Area of Gps): A Dimensional Approach to Heterogeneity of Clinical and WISC-IV Cognitive Profiles in ADHD From RDoC/HiTOP Perspective.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between symptomatology and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) cognitive profiles in Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), taking into account clinical heterogeneity. METHOD: The WISC-IV was administered to 60 children aged 6 to 13 years with ADHD who had not previously taken psychotropic medication. Conners Teacher-Rating Scale (CTRS-R/L) and Conners Parent-Rating Scale (CPRS-R/L) were completed by parents and teachers. RESULTS: We found a statistically significant positive correlation between the symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity and PSI (Processing Speed Index). A statistically significant negative correlation was found between the CTRS-R/L's DSM-IV Inattentive subscale and PRI (Perceptual Reasoning Index). No relationship was found between the inattention or hyperactivity/impulsivity symptomatology with Working Memory Index (WMI). WMI stood out as the most frequently reported weakness among the four index scores. CONCLUSION: Considering the relationship between the cognitive domains of RDoC (Research Domain Criteria) and dimensions of HiTOP with the ADHD symptom clusters, the assessment of cognitive and behavioral symptoms may be useful for phenotyping ADHD. According to the CHC (Cattell-Horn-Carroll) theory; the positive correlation level between PSI, which is accepted as Gs, and hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms in people with ADHD may be due to the fact that hyperactivity is one of the narrow cognitive domains of Gps.

Osmotic Release Oral System-Methylphenidate Hydrochloride (OROS-MPH) versus atomoxetine on executive function improvement and clinical effectiveness in ADHD: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study to compare the clinic efficacy and effects of osmotic release oral system-methylphenidate and atomoxetine on executive function in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder by a open-label, prospective, randomized controlled trial. METHODS: The study was performed by 95 cases between ages 6 and 12 years who were diagnosed as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and also 40 control individuals. In this study, Conners' Teacher Rating Scale (CTRS) was used in order to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment. Executive functions were assessed by the performance-based neuropsychological tests and ecological behavioral rating scales. Stroop test, cancellation test, and serial digit learning test were applied to performance based neuropsychological tests. Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function tests (BRIEFs) were used as behavioral assessment scales. RESULTS: Among the ADHD groups, a reduction of over 40% in the CTRS subtest scores used to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment was considered to be an improvement, and no significant difference was found for both drugs. Both Osmotic Release Oral System-Methylphenidate Hydrochloride (OROS-MPH) and atomoxetine (ATX) significantly improved scores in neuropsychological tests. CONCLUSION: Atomoxetine and OROS-MPH treatments have shown similar efficacy in clinical recovery and improvement on executive functions. However, disturbances in executive functions observed in children with ADHD are persistent despite treatment, when compared with the control group.

Evaluation of COVID-19-related psychological distress in parents of children referring to a child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic: a university hospital sample.

AIMS: We aimed to determine parents' levels of anxiety and fear and suspicion in relation to the COVID-19 period and the possible predictive factors for these variables in families admitted to a child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic of a university hospital in Turkey. In this way, it is hoped to contribute to the identification of priority target groups in psychosocial support services. METHOD: The research study group consisted of 600 patients aged 0-18 years and their parents who were referred to a child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic of a university hospital. Parents completed the COVID-19-related psychological distress (CORPD) scale and the data recording form developed specifically for this study. All cases included in the study were examined by a child and adolescent psychiatrist for diagnostic evaluation and their current diagnoses were recorded. RESULTS: Parents of children with any psychiatric diagnosis had higher suspicion scores on the CORPD scale and parents of children with high COVID-19-related anxiety also had higher anxiety and fear scores on the same scale. Logistic regression analysis revealed that negative changes in family relationships increased the risk of higher maternal COVID-19-related suspicion. CONCLUSIONS: The most important factors associated with parental high CORPD levels were negative changes in family relationships and children with high COVID-19-related anxiety. Children's high COVID-19-related anxiety levels were associated with living with a single parent or separation from parents, negative changes in family relationships, previous COVID-19 infection in the family, and changes in daily routines.

A cross-sectional study on the correlates of food addiction symptoms in adolescents seeking treatment for obesity: eating attitudes and gender differences.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Multidisciplinary approach including psychiatric support, have come to the fore in the treatment of obesity. Food addiction and disordered eating behaviors are among major psychiatric problems that have important effects on both clinical manifestation and response to treatment. This study aimed to investigate correlates of food addiction among adolescents who are seeking treatment for obesity. METHOD: This study included 126 adolescents between 11 and 18 years of age, 48 patients in the "study group" who are seeking treatment for obesity (BMI for age greater than 95th percentile) and 78 adolescents (BMI for age under 85th percentile) in the "control group" who were reached via online survey. All participants were requested to complete self-report based measurement tools of Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) and Eating Attitude Test-40 (EAT-40). RESULTS: 47.9% adolescents (n = 23) in the study group met food addiction diagnosis according to diagnostic evaluation of YFAS; which was significantly higher than 5.1% (n = 4) adolescents in the control group (p < 0.001). EAT-40 total scores and the scores in subscales of "anxiety of gaining weight," "dieting," and "thin body preoccupation" were significantly higher in the study group. Gender differences were observed when food addiction symptoms were correlated with eating attitudes among the study group. CONCLUSIONS: Comparing to the controls, food addiction and disordered eating behaviors were more common in adolescents seeking treatment for obesity. Gender differences in the correlates of food addiction symptoms imply that different approaches might be needed for psychological interventions.

Intra/interpersonal Functions of Non-suicidal Self-injury in Adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder: The Role of Emotion Regulation, Alexithymia, and Childhood Traumas.

Objective: This study examines non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behavior, its functions and associated factors like childhood trauma, alexithymia, empathy, and emotion regulation, in adolescents suffering from depression.Method: The study sample consisted of 67 adolescents; 11 boys (mean age = 14.94 ±1.45) and 56 girls (mean age = 14.72 ±1.48), all with major depressive disorder. Standard tests and measurements were used for data collection, including Beck Depression Inventory for identifying depression symptoms; Brief Symptom Inventory for screening psychiatric symptoms; Inventory of Statements About Self Injury (ISAS) to identify the lifetime frequency and functions of NSSI in subjects; Childhood Trauma Questionnaire to evaluate sexual, physical, and emotional abuse plus childhood neglect; Toronto Alexithymia Scale to assess difficulties in identifying and/or describing feelings; Basic Empathy Scale to measure empathy levels within the framework of basic emotions; and the Difficulty of Emotion Regulation Scale to determine the awareness and clarity of emotional response.Results: It was found that 64.1% of adolescents studied have had at least one NSSI to date. The most frequent intrapersonal functions associated with NSSI were Affect Regulation and Marking Distress, and the most common interpersonal functions were Toughness and Interpersonal Boundaries. According to a correlation analysis with ISAS scores, Affect Regulation was associated with obsession-compulsion, anxiety, difficulty identifying feelings and clarity scores. Marking Distress, generating a physical sign of feeling awful, was positively associated with Paranoid Ideation scores and negatively associated with Emotional Neglect scores. The Interpersonal Boundaries was positively associated with Childhood Physical Abuse and Impulse scores.Conclusions: NSSI is realized by different functions in the intrapersonal and interpersonal areas in adolescents with depression. Emotion regulation abilities, alexithymia, and childhood trauma are also associated factors or functions of NSSI.

Increased serum thioredoxin levels are not correlated with executive functions in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The first step of this study aims to determine whether thioredoxin (Trx) has a potential role in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by measuring serum Trx levels in children with ADHD. In the second step, this study aims to reveal whether there is any relationship between Trx and executive functions. This is the first study investigating the serum levels of Trx in children with ADHD. This study sample included 45 patients diagnosed with ADHD and 30 healthy controls. Conners Teacher Rating Scale (CTRS) and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) are used to evaluate ADHD presentation, severity and executive functions, respectively. Trx levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Significantly higher Trx levels were found in children with ADHD. No significant correlations were found between serum Trx levels and executive functions for controls or ADHD group; although hyperactive/impulsive ADHD presentation showed positive correlations with some subdomains of executive function. Serum Trx levels and disease severity, measured by CTRS, showed non-significant correlations. This study may be the first step in the study of the role played by Trx and oxidative stress in ADHD, further research is needed to support these preliminary findings.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and oxidative stress: A short term follow up study.

In this study, we aimed to investigate total antioxidative status (TAS) and total oxidative status (TOS) of plasma and antioxidant enzymes such as paraoxonase (PON), stimulated paraoxonase (SPON), arylesterase (ARES) and thiols in plasma of children and adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In the second step. this study aimed to reveal the possible effects of ADHD treatment on these parameters. Fifty-six patients with ADHD and 52 healthy controls were involved in this study. Venous blood samples were collected and oxidative and antioxidative parameter's were studied. In the second phase of the study, blood samples were taken from patients using medication. Pre-treatment oxidative stress index (OSI) values and the plasma TOS levels of the patients with ADHD were statistically higher than those of the control group. The plasma thiol levels of the patients with ADHD were significantly lower than the control group. The post-treatment plasma antioxidative parameter's levels were significantly higher than the pre-treatment levels. The post-treatment oxidative stress index value was significantly lower than the pre-treatment value. Therefore, oxidative metabolism was found to be impaired in children and adolescents with ADHD. It was also determined that methylphenidate repairs the oxidative balance by increasing antioxidant defence mechanisms.