Avisar Alon
Department of Psychology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Appl Neuropsychol Child. 2023 Oct-Dec;12(4):344-352. doi: 10.1080/21622965.2022.2114353. Epub 2022 Aug 23.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is comprised of two behavioral clusters of symptoms, inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. Numerous studies have attempted to address the underlying neuropsychological mechanism of ADHD. However, there is still no uniform mechanism that can fully explain both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms. This review describes the research findings that have shifted the focus from cognitive selective attention to executive function deficits and notes that the prominence of the attention deficit remains unclear. As ADHD is not consistently explained by cognitive selective attention but rather with cognitive sustained attention/vigilance and executive function deficits, this review suggests that concentration deficit is likely the cause of inattention symptoms. Indeed, considering concentration deficit as the cause of inattention symptoms may better describe the underlying difficulties of maintaining and controlling attention in ADHD. In addition, as concentration, impulsivity, and hyperactivity may share a common cognitive deficit, this shift in focus may help in identifying a single mechanism for all ADHD symptoms.
注意力缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）由两组行为症状群组成，即注意力不集中和多动/冲动。众多研究试图探讨ADHD潜在的神经心理学机制。然而，仍不存在能充分解释注意力不集中和多动/冲动症状的统一机制。本综述描述了研究结果，这些结果已将关注点从认知选择性注意转移到执行功能缺陷，并指出注意力缺陷的突出性仍不明确。由于ADHD并非始终能用认知选择性注意来解释，而是与认知持续性注意/警觉性及执行功能缺陷有关，本综述表明注意力不集中症状可能是由注意力集中缺陷导致的。事实上，将注意力集中缺陷视为注意力不集中症状的原因或许能更好地描述ADHD患者在维持和控制注意力方面的潜在困难。此外，鉴于注意力集中、冲动和多动可能存在共同的认知缺陷，这种关注点的转变或许有助于确定针对所有ADHD症状的单一机制。
