Original scientific paper

ASPERGER SYNDROME: A FREQUENT COMORBIDITY IN FIRST DIAGNOSED ADULT ADHD PATIENTS?

Mandy Roy ; Department of Psychiatry, Social-Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
Martin D. Ohlmeier ; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Noll-Hospital Klinikum Kassel, Kassel, Germany
Lasse Osterhagen ; Department of Psychiatry, Social-Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
Vanessa Prox-Vagedes ; Department of Psychiatry, Social-Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany
Wolfgang Dillo ; Department of Psychiatry, Social-Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Hannover, Germany

Abstract

Background: Because adult ADHD is often accompanied by psychiatric comorbidities, the diagnostic process should include a
thorough investigation for comorbid disorders. Asperger-Syndrome is rarely reported in adult ADHD and commonly little attention
is paid to this possible comorbidity.
Subjects and methods: We investigated 53 adult ADHD-patients which visited our out patient clinic for first ADHD-diagnosis
(17 females, 36 males; range of age: 18-56 years) for the frequency of a comorbid Asperger-Syndrome. Diagnosis of this autismspectrum
disorder was confirmed by applying the appropriate DSM-IV-criteria. Additionally we tested the power of the two
screening-instruments “Autism-spectrum quotient“ (AQ) and “Empathy quotient“ (EQ) by Baron-Cohen for screening Asperger-
Syndrome in adult ADHD.
Results: Eight ADHD-patients were diagnosed with a comorbid Asperger-Syndrome (15.1%). The difference in AQ- and EQscores
between pure ADHD-patients and comorbid patients was analysed, showing significantly higher scores in AQ and significant
lower scores in EQ in comorbid patients.
Conclusions: Results show that the frequency of Asperger-Syndrome seems to be substantially increased in adult ADHD (versus
the prevalence of 0.06% in the general population), indicating that investigators of adult ADHD should also be attentive to autismspectrum
disorders. Especially the AQ seems to be a potential screening instrument for Asperger-Syndrome in adult ADHD-patients.

Keywords

ADHD - Asperger syndrome – comorbidity – autism-spectrum quotient AQ - empathy quotient EQ

Hrčak ID:

161168

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/161168

Publication date:

10.6.2013.

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