Work

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in the Light of the Epigenetic Paradigm

Year: 2015

Type: review

Abstract: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a definite behavioral pattern that might lead to performance problems in the social, educational, or work environments. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, the symptoms of ADHD were restricted to those associated with cognitive (attention deficit) and behavioral (hyperactivity/impulsivity) deficits, while deficient emotional self-regulation, a relevant source of morbidity, was left out. The etiology of it is complex, as its exact causes have not yet been fully elucidated. ADHD seems to arise from a combination of various genetic and environmental factors that alter the developing brain, resulting in structural and functional abnormalities. The aim of this paper was to review epigenetics and ADHD focused on how multidimensional mechanisms influence the behavioral phenotype.

Source: Frontiers in Psychiatry

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00126

Authors: Viviane Schuch, Daniel Augusto Utsumi, Thaís Virgínia Moura Machado Costa, Leslie Domenici Kulikowski, Mauro Muszkat

Institutions: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Universidade de São Paulo

Language: English

Topic: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801