Abstract
M.A. (Clinical Psychology)
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a form of psychopathology
characterised by difficulties with hyperactivity, attention and behavioural inhibition.
Although ADHD has been historically considered a disorder specific to children, the
contemporary consensus among researchers is that, in some cases, ADHD may
persist into adulthood. Neurologically, ADHD is associated with deficits in the
executive functions, located in the frontal lobe. Cortical arousal, which refers to the
level of neuronal activity in the cerebral cortex and is measurable using
electroencephalograph machinery (EEGs), is usually lower in the frontal lobes in
those with ADHD when compared to individuals without the disorder.
With regards to anxiety disorders, which are dysfunctional variations in the normal
fear response, the aetiology of the pathologies in this category are multifaceted and
complex. At the neurological level, however, there is a clear link between anxiety
disorders and hypervigilance, which is characterised by high cortical arousal in the
frontal lobes. Despite the fact that, at face value, it seems impossible for an
increase and decrease in cortical arousal to occur simultaneously, ADHD is often
diagnosed alongside anxiety disorders, and it is this anomaly which is the focus of
this study.
Electroencephalograph machinery (EEGs) are able to measure levels of cortical
arousal using electrodes placed on the scalp. This research employs this
equipment in order to elucidate on how cortical arousal manifests during a task that
demands significant involvement from the frontal areas of the brain. A quasi-xperimental
research design using non-parametric statistics (Mann-Whitney U
Test) was used in order to compare the levels of cortical arousal between 4 groups
of 5 research participants with either ADHD, an anxiety disorder, comorbid ADHD
and anxiety and no discernible psychopathology. The significant results found in
this study point to the fact that, in cases where ADHD and anxiety disorders occur
comorbidly, there is a possibility that the anxiety component enables an individual to
achieve more pronounced levels of attention, concentration and focus than normal
participants and those with ADHD alone...