Neuropsychological and neurophysiological approaches to study of variants of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract

The present review carries out analysis of empirical studies concerning neuropsychological and neurophysiological mechanisms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The current data, regarding malfunctions of brain systems at various levels of aetiopathogenesis (genetic, neurotrasmitting, functioning of separate brain structure), are discussed. The article regards the character of deficit in various components of psychic activity in people with ADHD, namely, executive functions and temporary storage (working memory), activating and neurodynamic components of activity, separate operational characteristics, and motivational impairments of patients with ADHD. The possibility of disclosing some clinical variants of the ADHD syndrome, differing in mechanisms, is also discussed in the article.

Keywords

• ADHD
• ADD
• children with low tempo of activity
• executive functions
• attention
• working memory
• activating and neurodynamic components of activity
• motivational impairments of patients with ADHD
• dopamine
• frontal brain areas