Behavior in Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and in Healthy Volunteers

• INCLUSION CRITERIA:

CONTROL SUBJECTS:

Male and female subjects in two age cohorts will be recruited: 7-16 and 18-45 years. Subjects must be free from any current or past psychopathology and be medication-free. The 7-16 year olds will be gender matched to the ADHD subjects.

ADHD SUBJECTS:

Male and female subjects aged 7-16 who currently meet DSM-IV criteria for ADHD. The diagnosis will be made on the basis of a K-SADS-PL interview with the parent and a t score greater than 65 on the hyperactivity-impulsivity subscale of the Connors Teacher Scale. With the exception of symptoms and signs attributable to the ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, the Learning, Communication Disorders, Elimination Disorders, and Separation or Social Anxiety Disorders, subjects must be free from any current or past psychopathology.

fMRI STUDY:

Subjects aged 8-45 years will be recruited. Otherwise the same as for the behavioral study above for healthy volunteers and ADHD participants.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

CONTROL SUBJECTS:

I.Q. less than 80; pregnancy ; ongoing medical illness; neurological disorder (including seizures); meeting past or present criteria for any diagnosis on the K-SADS-PL (children and adolescents) or SCID (adults).

ADHD SUBJECTS:

I.Q. less than 80; pregnancy; ongoing medical illness or neurological disorder other than ADHD; contraindication to discontinuing medication for 72 hours; any other psychiatric disorder that is sufficiently severe to require specific treatment, with the exception of Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and the Learning, Communication, and Elimination Disorders, Separation Anxiety Disorder or Social Anxiety Disorder. Explicit exclusions include Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Tourette's syndrome, conduct disorder, and mood or Generalized anxiety disorders.

fMRI STUDY:

I.Q. less than 80; pregnancy; ongoing medical illness; neurological disorder (including seizures); meeting past or present criteria for any diagnosis on SCID; or KSADS except for ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, the Learning, Communication Disorders, Elimination Disorders, and Separation or Social Anxiety Disorders; any metallic objects in the body that would constitute a contraindication to an fMRI scan.