Alcohol, drugs, and attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder: a model for the study of addictions in youth

Clinical Research Program in Pediatric Psychopharmacology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

	Abstract

There has been increasing interest in the developmental origins of substance use disorders (SUDs) in children and adolescents. Because of its early onset, high prevalence and known risk for SUD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a model developmental disorder to evaluate in context to SUDs. A selected review of the literature was undertaken examining ADHD as an antecedent disorder to subsequent SUD. ADHD and its co-occurring comorbid psychopathology increase the risk for cigarette smoking and SUD and is associated with greater SUD severity and chronicity. The treatment of ADHD appears to decrease the risk for cigarette smoking and SUD. ADHD is an important antecedent disorder in children and adolescents worthy of further targeted preventive efforts to diminish the risk for cigarette smoking and SUD.

Key Words: alcohol abuse, ADHD, drugs

First published on September 20, 2005, doi:10.1177/0269881105058776

Journal of Psychopharmacology 2006;20:580.

A more recent version of this article appeared on July 1, 2006


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