Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and executive functioning in affected and unaffected adolescents and their parents: challenging the endophenotype construct

Abstract

The core EFs proposed to be aetiologically related to ADHD, that is working memory and inhibition, seem to be aetiologically independent of ADHD in adolescence. EF deficits documented in childhood in unaffected siblings were no longer present in adolescence, suggesting that children 'grow out' of early EF deficits. This is the first study to document ADHD and EF in a large family sample with adolescent offspring. The results suggest that, after childhood, the majority of influences on ADHD are independent from those on EF. This has potential implications for current aetiological models of causality in ADHD.

Moderators of Neuropsychological Mechanism in Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

“…For all domains, moderation analyses revealed differences between controls and unaffected siblings were large and pronounced in younger children (when taking into account age moderation, Cohen’s d ranged .49 to 1.1), but markedly smaller and largely absent in older youth ( d s for older youth ranged from −.09 to .17). This supports the claim by Thissen et al (2014) that endophenotype effects may wane in adolescence. There are several potential explanations for this finding.…”

“…Non-linear maturation during adolescence of prefrontal circuitry as well as subcortical and cerebellar regions implicated in ADHD may modulate the extent to which different cognitive domains are impaired among unaffected siblings or correlate with ADHD. Indeed, recent work has suggested that impairments documented among unaffected siblings of ADHD probands during childhood may not persist into adolescence (Thissen et al, 2014). Additionally, sex differences in the association between various neuropsychological measures and ADHD have been reported among probands (Bidwell et al, 2007; Martel, 2013; O’Brien, Dowell, Mostofsky, Denckla, & Mahone, 2010) but few studies have formally examined moderation of endophenotype effects by either proband sex or by individual sex.…”

Time windows matter in ADHD-related developing neuropsychological basic deficits: A comprehensive review and meta-regression analysis

“…Depending on the maturation of the corresponding brain circuitry, specific developmental trajectories are assumed (Castellanos and Tannock, 2002;Doyle et al, 2005;Durston et al, 2011;Nigg et al, 2004;Thissen et al, 2014). Within this context, the question has sometimes been raised of whether specific developmental periods of the basic deficits may be more or less suitable for assessment (Pauli-Pott and Becker, 2011;Rommelse et al, 2011;Thissen et al, 2013).…”

Inhibitory control and delay aversion in unaffected preschoolers with a positive family history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

“…Finally, in a large‐scale study in adolescents, Thissen et al. () found no difference between unaffected relatives and controls. To estimate the mean effect size of the difference between unaffected relatives and controls in IC, we conducted a meta‐analysis.…”

“… The following articles ( d : standardized difference in means) were included: Thissen et al. (): d = −0.02; Banaschewski et al. (): d = 0.61, Kuntsi et al.…”