Ma¡rcia Rodrigues
Objective: To elucidate the prevalence, overlap and current evidence on the relationship between ADHD (Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and ED (Eating disorders) as well as to clarify some of the possible mechanisms underlying the comorbidity between both disorders.
Methods: A brief review of the latest literature was performed on PubMed, from March 2020 to June 2020 using the terms “attention deficit hyperactive disorder”, “ADHD”, “eating disorders”, “ADHD and ED”.
Results: The prevalence of ED in ADHD samples has been reported up to 12 %. Considering early development, there is an association described in literature between childhood ADHD and the later development of an ED. On the other hand, ADHD symptoms have been elucidated in samples of ED patients, being more common in the AN purging subtype and BN than in the AN restrictive subtype. Impulsive behaviors constitute a core ADHD symptom and deficits in its regulation have been demonstrated in ED patients, especially in binge eating and purging behaviours.
Conclusion: Available studies suggest an overlap between ADHD and ED. More studies are needed in order to gain insight about the clinical management when the diseases are in comorbidity.