The Deficit of Early Selective Attention in Adults With Sluggish Cognitive Tempo: In Comparison With Those With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

The mediating role of digital addiction in the relationship between cognitive disengagement syndrome and problem-solving skills

BACKGROUND

There is a growing interest in the effects of Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome (CDS) on children. Despite concerns about the effects of CDS on cognitive abilities, especially in children, research is quite limited. It is important to understand the mechanisms of CDS on problem-solving skills.

AIM

This study aims to investigate the relationship of CDS with problem solving skills in children and also to examine the potential mediating role of digital addiction.

METHOD

The study was cross-sectional research involving 433 middle school children aged 11 and 14.

RESULTS

Our results showed that there were positive relationships between CDS and digital addiction, negative relationships between CDS and problem solving skills, and negative relationships between digital addiction and problem solving skills. Moreover, our findings suggest that CDS is associated with problem-solving skills both directly and indirectly through digital addiction.

CONCLUSION

Intervention programs developed for children with or at risk of CDS should incorporate practices to enhance problem-solving skills and behavioral interventions to balance their use of digital tools.

Cerebral blood flow differences in cognitive disengagement syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Doppler ultrasonography findings

OBJECTIVE

The present study aims to investigate potential differences in cerebral blood flow between children with Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome (CDS) and those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) using Doppler ultrasound.

METHODS

In this single-center prospective study, we included 24 cases in the ADHD group with CDS symptoms, 29 cases in the ADHD group without CDS symptoms and, 26 children in the healthy controls. The children ranged in age from 6 to 15. Participants were evaluated by diagnostic interviews and standardized measures. Doppler ultrasound was performed to measure peak systolic velocity and blood flow volume (BFV) in the internal carotid (ICA) and vertebral arteries for each participant.

RESULTS

The right ICA and total ICA BFVs were significantly lower in the CDS group compared to the ADHD and control groups (p = 0.007 and p = 0.003, respectively). In addition, there was a weak negative correlation between right ICA BFV and CDS scores, suggesting a possible link between reduced cerebral blood flow and CDS symptom severity.

CONCLUSION

This study provides a noteworthy starting point for research on the neurovascular basis of CDS. Our findings indicated significant differences in cerebral blood flow between CDS and ADHD, supporting the idea that CDS is a unique attentional disorder with distinct neurobiological characteristics from ADHD.

Brain fog in central disorders of hypersomnolence: a review

Brain fog is an undefined term describing a cluster of symptoms related to fatigue and impaired memory, attention, and concentration. Brain fog or brain fog-like symptoms have been reported in central disorders of hypersomnolence and in a range of seemingly unrelated disorders, including coronavirus disease 2019, major depressive disorder, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and celiac disease. This narrative review summarizes current evidence and proposes a consensus definition for brain fog. Brain fog is prevalent in narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia, with more than three-quarters of patients with either disorder reporting this symptom in a registry study; it has also been reported as particularly difficult to treat in idiopathic hypersomnia. Studies directly evaluating brain fog are rare; tools for evaluating this symptom cluster typically are patient reports, with few objective measures validated in any disorder. Evaluating brain fog is further complicated by confounding symptoms, such as excessive daytime sleepiness, which is a hallmark of hypersomnolence disorders. No treatments specifically address brain fog. The paucity of literature, assessment tools, and medications for brain fog highlights the need for research leading to better disambiguation and treatment. Until a clear consensus definition is established, we propose brain fog in hypersomnia disorders be defined as a cognitive dysfunction that may or may not be linked with excessive sleepiness, related to an underlying neuronal dysfunction, which reduces concentration and impairs information processing, leading to a complaint of lack of clarity of mental thinking and awareness.

CITATION

Rosenberg R, Thorpy MJ, Doghramji K, Morse AM. Brain fog in central disorders of hypersomnolence: a review. J Clin Sleep Med. 2024;20(4):643-651.

Validation of the Farsi Version of the Adult Concentration Inventory for Assessing Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome

The internal and external validity of cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS) relative to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder-inattention (ADHD-IN) was evaluated herein with Farsi-speaking adults. A total of 837 Iranian adults assessed throughout the whole country (54.72% women, Mage = 23.85; SD = 7.05; age range = 18 to 58 years; 75% between 18 and 24 years old; reporting higher educational training) completed self-report measures of CDS, ADHD-IN, ADHD-hyperactivity/impulsivity (HI), depression, anxiety, and stress. Seven of the fifteen CDS symptoms showed a good convergent (high loadings on the CDS factor) and discriminant (higher loadings on the CDS factor than the ADHD-IN factor) validity. CDS also showed stronger first-order and unique associations with depression than ADHD-IN, whereas ADHD-IN showed stronger first-order and unique associations with ADHD-HI and anxiety than CDS. The first-order and unique associations of CDS and ADHD-IN did not differ in relation to stress. This study is the first to support the validity of the self-report of assessing CDS symptoms with the Adult Concentration Inventory with Farsi-speaking individuals residing in Iran, thus further strengthening the transcultural validity of the CDS, and paving the way for further transcultural research in the field of CDS among adults.

Executive Functions Contribute to the Differences Between ADHD and Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) in Adults

OBJECTIVES

This paper analyses the relationship between sociodemographic variables, executive dysfunctions, Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) and the mainly dimensions of ADHD: hyperactivity-impulsivity (ADHD-H/I) and inattention (ADHD-IN) in Brazilian adults.

METHOD

A cross-sectional, exploratory, and comparative design was used. A total of 446 participants (295 women) aging from 18 to 63 years old (M = 3,499 years, SD = 10.7) were recruited on the internet. Correlations, t independent tests and regressions were conducted.

RESULTS

Higher scores in ADHD dimensions were associated to more executive functioning problems and time perception distortions in comparison to those participants without significant ADHD symptoms. However, ADHD-IN dimension as well as SCT were higher associated with these dysfunctions than ADHD-H/I. The regression results showed that ADHD-IN was more related to Self-Management to time while ADHD-H/I to Self-Restraint and SCT to Self-Organization/Problem Solving.

CONCLUSION

This paper contributed to the distinction between SCT and ADHD in adults in important psychological dimensions.