Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with aggression

A. D., McBride, M.C., and Loeb, S. (1989) Comparative effects of methylphenidate on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder with and without aggressive/noncompliant features. Psychophar-macol Bull 25 109—113. 

Murphy, D., Pelham, W., and Lang, A. (1992) Aggression in boys with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder Methylphenidate effects on naturalistically observed aggression, response to provocation, and social information processing. J Abnorm Child Psychol 20 451-466. 

Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have high rates of arrests (Satterfield and Schell 1997), comorbid oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), CD, and affective disorders, which increase their risk of aggression (see Fig. 50.1). 

FIGURE 10-5. Aggressive symptoms and hostility are associated with several conditions in addition to schizophrenia, including bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorder (conduct dis.), childhood psychosis, Alzheimer s and other dementias, and borderline personality disorder, among others. 

Although aggressive symptoms are common in schizophrenia, they are far from unique to this condition. Thus, these same symptoms are frequently associated with bipolar disorder, childhood psychosis, borderline personality disorder, drug abuse, Alzheimer and other dementias, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorders in children, and many others (Fig. 10—5). 

Initially, the neuroleptics were used to manage severe anxiety, agitation, and aggression in individuals with severe mental illness such as schizophrenia, a psychotic illness characterized by delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized, illogical thinking. The first neuroleptic used in schizophrenia was chlorpromazine (Thorazine) in 1952. Additional neuroleptics were later developed to treat a variety of other disorders and conditions in children and adults, including autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar dis-... 

Banerjee S, Ayyash HF. Does atomoxetine increase the risk of aggression and hostility in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed 2008 93(4) 131-2. 

Early and persistent antisocial behavior—Male children who are a ressive in primary grades (K-3) are at greater risk for substance abuse. When aggressive behavior is combined with isolation, hyperactivity, or attention deficit disorder, the risk is even greater for adolescent substance abuse. This risk factor includes persistent problem behaviors in early adolescence, such as skipping school and fighting. 

Some medical researchers believe, to a reasonable medical and scientific certainty, that the effects of lead on the brain are permanent and irreversible, and they seem to worsen with time. This is reflected not only in lower intelligence quotient scores, but in a decreased ability to function in every day life. There is growing evidence that children exposed to lead have attention deficit disorder and are hyperactive. Although only about 3% of children generally suffer attention deficit disorder, 55% of children poisoned by lead paint display signs of this disorder. Such children are at high risk for aggressive and antisocial behavior in later life. 

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