Applying EEG-based vigilance measurement in a case of adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by inattentiveness, hyperactivity, mood lability, hot- or short-temper, impaired stress tolerance, disorganization and impulsivity (Wender, 1995). Due to the reduction of externalizing symptoms in adulthood and the absence of hyperactivity in the predominantly inattentive subtype, ADHD is more difficult to diagnose in adults (Nierenberg et al., 2005) and often unrecognized or mistakenly attributed to other psychiatric conditions (Kessler et al., 2006). Adult ADHD overlaps in symptom profiles and is highly co-morbid with other psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BD) and substance abuse, making the discrimination of symptoms more complicated (Wilens et al., 2009) and warranting the search for facilitating diagnostic tools.