550397
research-article2014
JADXXX10.1177/1087054714550397Journal of Attention DisordersBerro et al.
Letter to the Editor
Sleep Impairment: The Possible Link Between Childhood ADHD, Sensation Seeking, and Cocaine Dependence
Journal of Attention Disorders 2015, Vol. 19(4) 351 © 2014 SAGE Publications Reprints and permissions: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/1087054714550397 jad.sagepub.com
Lais F. Berro1, Sergio Tufik1, and Monica Levy Andersen1 Dear Editor, Ballon, Brunault, and Cortese (in press) recently showed that, opposed to 5% of control individuals, 56% of cocainedependent adults had a history of probable childhood ADHD. In addition, ADHD history was associated with higher levels of sensation seeking among cocaine dependents, who showed higher sensation-seeking scores than non-dependent ones. ADHD presents several comorbid conditions, including sleep disturbances. There is a bidirectional relationship between sleep impairment and ADHD. Difficulty in falling and staying asleep and poor sleep quality are frequently observed in ADHD patients, and these conditions currently result in ADHD-like daytime behaviors (Ganelin-Cohen & Ashkenasi, 2013). Interestingly, substance abuse and sleep disorders also show a bidirectional relationship, with a high prevalence of sleep problems in dependent individuals (Mahfoud, Talih, Streem, & Budur, 2009) and individuals with history of childhood sleep problems showing a higher risk of developing drug abuse (Wong, Brower, Nigg, & Zucker, 2010). Thus, one could raise the hypothesis that sleep problems might be the link between ADHD and cocaine dependence. Ballon et al. showed that this relationship seem to be mediated by high levels of sensation seeking. In this scenario, sleep impairment amplifies the reactivity of brain networks that mediate reactivity to pleasurable and rewarding sensations, and a lack of sufficient sleep has been linked to both impulsivity and changes in reward-related decision making (Gujar, Yoo, Hu, & Walker, 2011; Schmidt, Gay, & Van der Linden, 2008). Ultimately, sleep impairment potentiates the neural mechanisms responsible for sensation seeking in humans (Joseph, Liu, Jiang, Lynam, & Kelly, 2009). Because sleep problems are a common feature in children with ADHD and sleep loss potentiates neural networks associated with rewarding sensations and may predispose the development of addiction, we propose a potential contribution of sleep problems to cocaine dependence in individuals with ADHD. We highlight that clinical evaluations of children with ADHD should assess sleep disorders, with possibilities for prevention of future undesirable outcomes.
Declaration of Conflicting Interests The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Funding The authors’ studies are supported by AFIP, CAPES, FAPESP, and CNPq.
References Ballon, N., Brunault, P., & Cortese, S. (in press). Sensation seeking and cocaine dependence in adults with reported childhood ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders. Ganelin-Cohen, E., & Ashkenasi, A. (2013). Disordered sleep in pediatric patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: An overview. Israel Medical Association Journal, 15, 705-709. Gujar, N., Yoo, S. S., Hu, P., & Walker, M. P. (2011). Sleep deprivation amplifies reactivity of brain reward networks, biasing the appraisal of positive emotional experiences. Journal of Neuroscience, 31, 4466-4474. Joseph, J. E., Liu, X., Jiang, Y., Lynam, D., & Kelly, T. H. (2009). Neural correlates of emotional reactivity in sensation seeking. Psychological Science, 20, 215-223. Mahfoud, Y., Talih, F., Streem, D., & Budur, K. (2009). Sleep disorders in substance abusers: How common are they? Psychiatry, 6(9), 38-42. Schmidt, R., Gay, P., & Van der Linden, M. (2008). Facets of impulsivity are differentially linked to insomnia: Evidence from an exploratory study. Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 6, 178-192. Wong, M. M., Brower, K. J., Nigg, J. T., & Zucker, R. A. (2010). Childhood sleep problems, response inhibition, and alcohol and drug outcomes in adolescence and young adulthood. Alcoholism Clinical Experimental Research, 34, 1033-1044.
1
Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil
Corresponding Author: Monica Levy Andersen, Departamento de Psicobiologia, UNIFESP, Rua Napoleão de Barros, São Paulo 04024-002, Brazil. Email: [email protected]
Downloaded from jad.sagepub.com at LAURENTIAN UNIV LIBRARY on May 30, 2016
research-article2014
JADXXX10.1177/1087054714550397Journal of Attention DisordersBerro et al.
Letter to the Editor
Sleep Impairment: The Possible Link Between Childhood ADHD, Sensation Seeking, and Cocaine Dependence
Journal of Attention Disorders 2015, Vol. 19(4) 351 © 2014 SAGE Publications Reprints and permissions: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/1087054714550397 jad.sagepub.com
Lais F. Berro1, Sergio Tufik1, and Monica Levy Andersen1 Dear Editor, Ballon, Brunault, and Cortese (in press) recently showed that, opposed to 5% of control individuals, 56% of cocainedependent adults had a history of probable childhood ADHD. In addition, ADHD history was associated with higher levels of sensation seeking among cocaine dependents, who showed higher sensation-seeking scores than non-dependent ones. ADHD presents several comorbid conditions, including sleep disturbances. There is a bidirectional relationship between sleep impairment and ADHD. Difficulty in falling and staying asleep and poor sleep quality are frequently observed in ADHD patients, and these conditions currently result in ADHD-like daytime behaviors (Ganelin-Cohen & Ashkenasi, 2013). Interestingly, substance abuse and sleep disorders also show a bidirectional relationship, with a high prevalence of sleep problems in dependent individuals (Mahfoud, Talih, Streem, & Budur, 2009) and individuals with history of childhood sleep problems showing a higher risk of developing drug abuse (Wong, Brower, Nigg, & Zucker, 2010). Thus, one could raise the hypothesis that sleep problems might be the link between ADHD and cocaine dependence. Ballon et al. showed that this relationship seem to be mediated by high levels of sensation seeking. In this scenario, sleep impairment amplifies the reactivity of brain networks that mediate reactivity to pleasurable and rewarding sensations, and a lack of sufficient sleep has been linked to both impulsivity and changes in reward-related decision making (Gujar, Yoo, Hu, & Walker, 2011; Schmidt, Gay, & Van der Linden, 2008). Ultimately, sleep impairment potentiates the neural mechanisms responsible for sensation seeking in humans (Joseph, Liu, Jiang, Lynam, & Kelly, 2009). Because sleep problems are a common feature in children with ADHD and sleep loss potentiates neural networks associated with rewarding sensations and may predispose the development of addiction, we propose a potential contribution of sleep problems to cocaine dependence in individuals with ADHD. We highlight that clinical evaluations of children with ADHD should assess sleep disorders, with possibilities for prevention of future undesirable outcomes.
Declaration of Conflicting Interests The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Funding The authors’ studies are supported by AFIP, CAPES, FAPESP, and CNPq.
References Ballon, N., Brunault, P., & Cortese, S. (in press). Sensation seeking and cocaine dependence in adults with reported childhood ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders. Ganelin-Cohen, E., & Ashkenasi, A. (2013). Disordered sleep in pediatric patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: An overview. Israel Medical Association Journal, 15, 705-709. Gujar, N., Yoo, S. S., Hu, P., & Walker, M. P. (2011). Sleep deprivation amplifies reactivity of brain reward networks, biasing the appraisal of positive emotional experiences. Journal of Neuroscience, 31, 4466-4474. Joseph, J. E., Liu, X., Jiang, Y., Lynam, D., & Kelly, T. H. (2009). Neural correlates of emotional reactivity in sensation seeking. Psychological Science, 20, 215-223. Mahfoud, Y., Talih, F., Streem, D., & Budur, K. (2009). Sleep disorders in substance abusers: How common are they? Psychiatry, 6(9), 38-42. Schmidt, R., Gay, P., & Van der Linden, M. (2008). Facets of impulsivity are differentially linked to insomnia: Evidence from an exploratory study. Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 6, 178-192. Wong, M. M., Brower, K. J., Nigg, J. T., & Zucker, R. A. (2010). Childhood sleep problems, response inhibition, and alcohol and drug outcomes in adolescence and young adulthood. Alcoholism Clinical Experimental Research, 34, 1033-1044.
1
Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil
Corresponding Author: Monica Levy Andersen, Departamento de Psicobiologia, UNIFESP, Rua Napoleão de Barros, São Paulo 04024-002, Brazil. Email: [email protected]
Downloaded from jad.sagepub.com at LAURENTIAN UNIV LIBRARY on May 30, 2016
