*Commentary by Dr. Margaret Weiss: Now that we are identifying children with ADHD and ASD we need to know more about how to manage this population.
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder Samuele Cortese Psychiatric Symptoms and Comorbidities in Autism Spectrum Disorder (2016)
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-29695-1_6
Abstract
Previous versions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) did not allow the possibility of diagnosing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, this veto has been removed in the current version of the DSM (DSM-5), highlighting the need for screening and appropriately managing, when present, symptoms of ADHD (i.e., inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity) in individuals with ASD. Evidence from neuroimaging and genetic studies points to shared but also specific neurobiological underpinnings across the two disorders. While there is a large body of research on the pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments of ADHD, evidence on the management of ADHD symptoms in individuals with ASD needs further investigation. Future studies should explore pathophysiologically based, rather than symptomatic, intervention strategies for ADHD associated with ASD.