Tempo cognitivo lento: una revisión actualizada

Abstract

Introduction. The study of sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) arose largely from research carried out on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This construct is defined by a range of behavioural symptoms such as the appearance of drowsiness, daydreaming, physical hypoactivity, little initiative, lethargy and apathy. Development. The construct of SCT is reviewed by means of recently published papers on its clinical characteristics, associated symptoms, evaluation, prevalence, aetiology, comorbidity, neuropsychological profiles and treatment. The latest studies propose that SCT should be understood as a cluster of symptoms that is distinct from ADHD. Although there is no clear consensus on the matter, the evidence is becoming increasingly more consistent and endows SCT with a high degree of external validity, associating it with internalising symptoms. Conclusions. We believe the different subtypes of ADHD must be grounded in attentional conceptual models. Hence, the attentional guidance network would be related with SCT, the vigilance or sustained attention network would be linked with the inattentive subtype of ADHD, and executive attention would be involved in the combined subtype of ADHD. The evidence obtained to date, including this review, supports the idea that SCT is an attention disorder distinct from ADHD but, like any dimensional disorder, it can overlap with it in around half the cases.

ADHD and Sluggish Cognitive Tempo: Comparing Executive Functioning Response Patterns

“…The temporal problems associated with SCT may correspond to the slowness directly referred to in the disorder's proper name [18,72,73], i.e., the slowed thinking and behaviour [74] that has led some authors to consider that the etiology of the disorder is an arousal imbalance [68,75]. The time management difficulties in this disorder may be due to difficulties in processing speed and latency time.…”

“…The disorder's characteristic symptomatology of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity [14] is related to an executive disorder caused by neurological dysfunctions of the PFC [15,16]; by contrast, the most controversial disorder of Executive Functioning is Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT), a descriptive term that is neither formalized to name a specific disorder nor recognized in standardized medical diagnostic manuals. Although its etiological origin is under discussion, its characteristic symptomatology of drowsiness, slowness, confusion, forgetfulness, apathy and lack of motivation [17][18][19] also appears to be related to the deregulation of the PFC, disturbances in chemical structures and alterations in brain activity [20,21]. The superficial, yet evident, similarities between SCT and ADHD are the cause of its long-standing controversy.…”

“…Recent research shows differences between the two disorders in terms of sociodemographic variables, social impact, academic performance and executive functioning. Currently, SCT is considered a separate disorder from ADHD by many authors [18,19,26,27].…”

Sluggish Cognitive Tempo: realidades y controversias

“…Por otra parte, además de los resultados disponibles hasta el momento, es interesante citar la revisión sobre el SCT de Tirapu et al, (2015), puesto que dedican un apartado especial a sus relaciones con las FE. Los autores destacan que los individuos con SCT parecen mostrar un tipo diferente de déficit de atención del que se observa en el TDAH.…”

Sluggish Cognitive Tempo: Una Nueva Dimensión del TDAH o una Entidad Nosológica Independiente

“…Araujo-Jiménez (2012, citado por Tirapu et al, 2015) encontró que el SCT no sólo se relaciona con el TDAH de presentación predominante con falta de atención, sino también a otros problemas internalizantes como: fobia social y depresión. Estudios demuestran que sujetos con un SCT alto muestran mayores niveles de TDAH, depresión y ansiedad, además de una pobre regulación emocional y dificultades de adaptación social en comparación con los suje-tos que no manifiestan SCT elevado (Flannery, Becker, & Luebbe, 2014, citados por Tirapu et al, 2015.…”