Diminished prefrontal brain function in adults with psychopathology in childhood related to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The aim of the present study was to investigate prefrontal brain function and cognitive response control in patients with personality disorders who either suffered or did not suffer from psychopathology related to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during childhood. For this purpose, 36 psychiatric out-patients with personality disorders--24 of whom showed ADHD-related psychopathology during childhood assessed by the German short form of the Wender Utah Rating Scale--and 24 healthy controls were investigated electrophysiologically by means of a cued Go-NoGo task (Continuous Performance Test). Topographical analyses were conducted to individually quantify the NoGo anteriorisation (NGA), a neurophysiological correlate of prefrontal response control that has been suggested to reflect activation of the anterior cingulate cortex.

Association of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-related psychopathology and personality traits with the serotonin transporter promoter region polymorphism.

The role of the genetic polymorphism within the promoter region of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene is under discussion as a modulator for personality traits and a risk factor for several mental disorders including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Here we report a significant association of this polymorphism with scores on the Wender Utah Rating Scale, which was used for the assessment of a history of ADHD-associated symptoms, indicating a higher frequency of the long variant allele in individuals with high scores. We found no association between the 5-HTT polymorphism and personality traits according to the Eysenck Impulsivity Questionnaire and the Freiburg Personality Inventory, respectively, except a significant association with social orientation.