There is still some debate in the literature whether Attention-Deficit Disorder/Hyperactivity
(ADHD) is best conceptualized as a biological disorder or if it is best understood
as a cultural construct. This review aims to contribute to disentangle this issue
assessing clinical and research data on ADHD in a complete diverse culture from a
developing country. We performed a systematic computerized review of the literature
on ADHD in Brazil. All investigations were included if dealing with ADHD prevalence,
etiology, symptomatological construct, or treatment. Findings were compared to those
from studies in developed countries. The prevalence rates of ADHD (5.8% using DSM-IV
criteria, 1.5% using ICD-10), the bi-dimensional factor construct extracted from factor
analyses (inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity), the pattern of ADHD comorbidity
in clinical samples, the family genetic data suggesting a 39% family transmission
in clinical samples and the role of some potential candidate genes in dopaminergic
and noradrenergic systems, as well as data on the efficacy of methylphenidate in the
disorder are all very similar to findings from developed countries. Taken together,
these findings suggest that ADHD is not a cultural construct, reinforcing the importance
of applying similar research methodology in different cultures to make findings comparable.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 29, 2005
Accepted:
January 24,
2005
Received in revised form:
November 30,
2004
Received:
June 1,
2004
Identification
Copyright
© 2005 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
