[Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): an overview]

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common disorder in children and it has been increasingly diagnosed in adults, as well. The prevalence in adults is reported to be between 4-5%. It is estimated that between 50-70% of all children suffering ADHD maintain the condition into their adulthood. There are several criteria used for the detection and diagnosis of ADHD, which are described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) validated diagnostic scales like the ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS). ADHD is often associated with different comorbid conditions like mood disorders, anxiety, defiant oppositional conduct or learning disorders in children, and substances abuse on adults. Studies on adults, demonstrate 87% of the patients with ADHD present with at least one psychiatric comorbidity which raises the importance of an accurate early diagnosis of ADHD. Pharmacological treatment approaches for ADHD as well as for some of the psychiatry comorbidities involve the dopaminergic, noradrenergic and serotoninergic systems. Considering the way in which ADHD presents, its common comorbidity and recent characterization, the objective of the present work is to describe the general aspects of the disease, with emphasis on its detection and diagnosis.