Influence of ADHD, especially attention-deficit characteristics, on the course of alcohol-dependent individuals

Atsushi Yoshimura; Sachio Matsushita; Mitsuru Kimura; Jun-Ichi Yoneda; Hitoshi Maesato; Akira Yokoyama; Susumu Higuchi

doi:10.1186/s12888-022-04455-4

Influence of ADHD, especially attention-deficit characteristics, on the course of alcohol-dependent individuals

BMC Psychiatry. 2022 Dec 19;22(1):803. doi: 10.1186/s12888-022-04455-4.

Authors

Atsushi Yoshimura^{1

2}, Sachio Matsushita³, Mitsuru Kimura³, Jun-Ichi Yoneda³, Hitoshi Maesato³, Akira Yokoyama³, Susumu Higuchi³

Affiliations

¹ National Hospital Organization, Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center, Yokosuka, Japan. ayoshi0079@ybb.ne.jp.
² Division of Psychiatry, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan. ayoshi0079@ybb.ne.jp.
³ National Hospital Organization, Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center, Yokosuka, Japan.

Abstract

Background: While several studies have revealed that neurodevelopmental disorders have a high probability of overlapping with substance use disorders, the effects of neurodevelopmental disorders on the courses of substance use disorders have hardly been examined.

Methods: This study targeted 637 alcohol-dependent individuals who received inpatient treatment and whose drinking situations were followed for 12 months after hospital discharge using mailed questionnaires. The comorbidity of psychiatric disorders and the characteristics associated with the neurodevelopmental disorders were assessed using several measurements at the time of hospital admission. The effects of neurodevelopmental disorders on the drinking courses of the subjects were then estimated.

Results: The presence of a current depressive episode or any anxiety disorder significantly lowered the abstinence rates during the follow-up period (p = 0.0195 and p = 0.0214, respectively). ADHD traits as assessed using the ADHD Self-report Scale (ASRS) predicted a significantly poorer abstinence rate (p = 0.0296). Similarly, attention-deficit characteristics assessed objectively through interviews predicted a significantly lower abstinence rate (p = 0.0346), and a sensitivity analysis enhanced these results (p = 0.0019). When the drinking patterns were classified into three groups, the subjects with attention-deficit characteristics had a significantly higher rate of "Recurrence" and lower rates of "Abstinence" and "Controlled drinking" (p = 0.013). In a multivariate proportional hazards analysis, the ASRS score was significantly correlated with the re-drinking risk (p = 0.003).

Conclusion: ADHD traits had significant effects on not only abstinence rates, but also on drinking pattern. The presence of ADHD traits, especially attention-deficit characteristics, influenced the drinking courses of alcohol-dependent individuals after hospital treatment.

Keywords: ADHD; AQ (autism-spectrum quotient); ASRS (ADHD self-report scale); Alcohol dependence; Clinical course.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Alcoholism* / complications
Attention
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* / psychology
Comorbidity
Humans
Substance-Related Disorders* / epidemiology