Background
Previous studies suggest circadian rhythm disturbances in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) and sleep-onset insomnia (SOI). We investigate here sleep and rhythms
in activity and melatonin in adults with ADHD.
Methods
Sleep logs and actigraphy data were collected during 1 week in 40 adults with ADHD,
of whom 31 reported SOI. Salivary melatonin levels were assessed during 1 night. Sleep
measures, circadian activity variables, and dim light melatonin onset were compared
between groups of ADHD adults with and without SOI and with matched healthy control
subjects.
Results
Compared with control subjects, both groups of ADHD adults had longer sleep-onset
latency and lower sleep efficiency. Adults with ADHD and SOI showed a delayed start
and end of their sleep period and a delayed melatonin onset compared with adults with
ADHD without SOI (p = .006; p = .023; p = .02) and compared with healthy control subjects (p = .014; p = .019; p = .000). Adults with ADHD and SOI also showed an attenuated 24-hour amplitude in
their rest-activity pattern, in contrast to those without SOI, who showed a higher
day-to-day stability.
Conclusions
These findings demonstrate diurnal rhythm deviations during everyday life in the majority
of adults with ADHD that have SOI and suggest that potential benefits of rhythm-improving
measures should be evaluated.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 18, 2010
Accepted:
December 30,
2009
Received in revised form:
December 16,
2009
Received:
September 16,
2009
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
