Christine E. Dri

Background: Clinical practice suggests that objective assessment tools are needed to assess adults with inattention or hyperactivity, informed by the underlying pathophysiology of attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This systematic review comprehensively evaluates the current objective assessment methods as an adjunct diagnostic tool for these adults. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of studies investigating various objective diagnostic methods to assess adults with ADHD and healthy controls. The database search occurred from its inception to 23 December 2024. Results: Our search yielded 46 studies that reported on various objective methods to assess adults with ADHD. The MOXO-distracted Continuous Performance Test (MOXO-d-CPT), eye-tracker with MOXO-d CPT, Conners’ Continuous Performance Test—3rd edition (CCPT-3), and oculomotricity can differentiate between true and feigned ADHD or other diagnostic possibilities. The Quantified Behavior Test (Qb Test+) can detect hyperactivity and differentiate it from other psychiatric disorders. Mono-d, CCPT-3, Qb Test+, Test of Variables and Attention (TOVA), Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test (IVA-CPT), and oculomotricity can monitor pharmacotherapy response. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) offers more promise than structural imaging and demonstrates a moderate level of sensitivity and specificity to differentiate adults with and without ADHD by performing the verbal fluency test. Notwithstanding, electroencephalography (EEG)/event-related potential (ERP) shows potential in diagnosis and treatment monitoring (e.g., neurofeedback training). In addition, transcriptome-based biomarkers have also been explored as diagnostic tools. Conclusion: The diagnosis and monitoring of ADHD in adults come with a unique set of challenges due to psychiatric comorbidity, including depression and anxiety; fluctuation of symptoms over time; and lack of consensus among clinicians and professional organizations to adopt objective tests in the diagnostic process. Our findings support the notion that a combination of clinical assessment and objective biomarkers targeting distinct pathophysiological aspects may enhance the accuracy of ADHD diagnosis.

The menopausal period in women is characterized by neuroendocrine alterations, which is in part mediated by the reduction in circulating estrogen. During this transition, many perimenopausal and menopausal women experience sleep disturbances and increased susceptibility to sleep-related disorders. Sleep disruptions are partially attributed to nighttime vasomotor symptoms (VMS), which exacerbates the insomnia risk in the menopausal woman. Converging data implicate the orexin system in the pathophysiology of insomnia and VMS, particularly through regulation of arousal, thermoregulation, and sympathetic outputs. Estrogen decline due to menopause is postulated to modulate orexin signaling, thereby heightening sympathetic drive and thermoregulatory instability. Given this potential mechanistic framework, orexin receptor antagonists, notably dual orexin receptor antagonists (DORAs), have been proposed as alternative menopausal therapeutics. Herein, we aim to examine preclinical, translation, and clinical literature assessing the therapeutic potentials of DORAs as a nonhormonal intervention for the mitigation of insomnia and VMS in midlife women.