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Emotional Lability in Patients with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Impact of Pharmacotherapy

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Abstract

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral disorder defined by persistent inattention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity. These symptoms occur more frequently and are more severe in individuals with ADHD compared with those at a similar developmental level without ADHD, and can be conceptualized as deficits in executive functioning (EF). EF includes domains of metacognition and inhibition, which influence the ability to regulate responses elicited by emotional stimuli. EF deficits can lead to emotional lability (EL), which is characterized by sudden changes in emotion and behaviors of inappropriately high intensity that may include sudden bouts of anger, dysphoria, sadness, or euphoria. EL is common and estimated to occur in about 3.3–10 % of the population. Recent estimates of EL prevalence in children and adolescents with ADHD range from 38 to 75 %. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition does not include EL in diagnostic criteria for ADHD, but does include ADHD-associated features of low frustration tolerance, irritability, or mood lability. The neurobiological basis of EL is not well understood, but brain imaging studies support dividing EF into “cool” cognitive networks encompassing attention and planning activities, and “hot” motivational networks involved in temporal discounting, reward processing, and reward anticipation. Dysfunction in “hot” networks is thought to be related to EL. EL symptoms are associated with more severe ADHD and co-morbidities, have significant impact on functioning, and may respond to treatment with medications frequently used to treat ADHD. Treatment outcomes and areas for future research are discussed.

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Correspondence to Ann C. Childress.

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The authors did not receive any financial support or writing assistance for the preparation of this manuscript.

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Ann Childress, M.D. reports the following disclosures: Shire Pharmaceuticals, Inc.—Consultant, Speaker, Research Support; Pfizer—Research Support, Consultant, Speaker; Noven—Research Support; NextWave Pharmaceuticals—Research Support, Consultant; Lilly USA, LLC—Research Support; Forest Research Institute—Research Support; Otsuka—Research Support; Sunovion—Research Support; Ironshore—Consultant, Research Support; Rhodes—Consultant, Research Support; Theravance—Research Support; Neurovance—Advisory Board, Research Support; Neos—Consultant, Research Support; Arbor—Consultant, Research Support; Tris—Research Support; Purdue—Research Support; Lundbeck—Research Support; Alcobra—Research Support.

Floyd R. Sallee reports the following disclosures: Otsuka Research and Development—Consultant; Ironshore Pharma—Consultant; Supernus Pharmaceuticals—Consultant; Astra Zeneca—Consultant; Impax Labs—Consultant.

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Childress, A.C., Sallee, F.R. Emotional Lability in Patients with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Impact of Pharmacotherapy. CNS Drugs 29, 683–693 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40263-015-0264-9

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