Fifty years of executive control research in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder:What we have learned and still need to know

Russell J Schachar

doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105461

Fifty years of executive control research in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder:What we have learned and still need to know

Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2023 Dec:155:105461. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105461. Epub 2023 Nov 8.

Author

Russell J Schachar¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Psychiatry, The Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5G1X8, Canada. Electronic address: russell.schachar@sickkids.ca.

PMID: 37949153
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105461

Abstract

For 50 years, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been considered a disorder of executive control (EC), the higher-order, cognitive skills that support self-regulation, goal attainment and what we generally call "attention." This review surveys our current understanding of the nature of EC as it pertains to ADHD and considers the evidence in support of eight hypotheses that can be derived from the EC theory of ADHD. This paper provides a resource for practitioners to aid in clinical decision-making. To support theory building, I draw a parallel between the EC theory of ADHD and the common gene-common variant model of complex traits such as ADHD. The conclusion offers strategies for advancing collaborative research.

Keywords: ADHD; Attention; Executive control; Review; Theory.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Attention / physiology
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* / psychology
Executive Function* / physiology
Humans
Learning
Surveys and Questionnaires