What is it about?
The purpose of the present study was to compare the reactivity of the HPA-axis in children diagnosed with different subtypes of ADHD against a healthy control group. This study included a total of 66 children: 33 children with ADHD diagnoses (10 with prevalent inattentive symptoms, 9 with prevalent hyperactive-impulsive symptoms and 14 with the combined subtype) and 33 healthy controls. The Trier Stress Social Test for Children (TSST-C) was employed as stressor. This test included two main stressors: first, completing a story initiated by an interviewer, and second, executing a timed cognitive task. Saliva samples were then obtained at -1, and +1, +10, +20 and +30 minutes with respect to the stressinducing task. While the repeated-measures ANOVA showed a statistically significant time effect, the expected cortisol stress-response was not observed in any group. A difference was observed in the response from the hyperactive-impulsive group that was also observed in the AUCG comparisons with the subgroups.
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Why is it important?
This study let show for first time that the ADHD with prevalent hyperactivity-impulsive symptoms is associated to significantly reduced cortisol levels than a control group and other experimental subgroups with prevalent inattentive symptoms.
Perspectives
The use of salivary markers like cortisol or salivary alpha-amylase in child populations let us not only to detect subjects on high risk for developmental disorders but also know the biological cause of his/her developmental alterations.
DR ENRIQUE FRANCISCO MALDONADO
Universidad de Malaga
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This page is a summary of: Salivary Cortisol Response to a Psychosocial Stressor on Children Diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Differences Between Diagnostic Subtypes, The Spanish Journal of Psychology, November 2009, Cambridge University Press,
DOI: 10.1017/s1138741600002079.
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