Deficient cardiovascular stress reactivity predicts poor executive functions in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2011 Jan;33(1):63-73. doi: 10.1080/13803395.2010.493145. Epub 2010 Jul 5.

Abstract

Associations between cardiovascular stress markers, subjective stress reactivity, and executive functions were studied in 60 adults (30 with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, and 30 controls) using the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT, a test of executive functions) as a cognitive stressor. Despite higher self-perceived stress, the adults with ADHD showed lower or atypical cardiovascular stress reactivity, which was associated with poorer performance on PASAT. Using cardiovascular stress markers, subjective stress, and results on PASAT as predictors in a logistic regression, 83.3% of the ADHD group and 86.9% of the controls could be classified correctly.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acoustic Stimulation
  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / complications*
  • Blood Pressure / physiology*
  • Cognition Disorders / diagnosis
  • Cognition Disorders / etiology*
  • Executive Function / physiology
  • Female
  • Heart Rate / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Oxygen Consumption / physiology*
  • Pain Measurement
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Regression Analysis
  • Stress, Physiological
  • Young Adult