Sleep Structure in Untreated Adults With ADHD: A Retrospective Study

Objective: Polysomnographic findings in neurodevelopmental disorders have been reported, but previous studies have had several limitations. The purpose of this study was to characterize sleep structure in untreated adults diagnosed with ADHD, excluding ADHD-related sleep disorders as determined by polysomnography and multiple sleep latency testing. Methods: This study included 55 patients aged 18 years or older who visited the Kurume University Hospital Sleep Clinic between April 2015 and March 2020. The diagnosis of ADHD was determined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (ADHD group, n = 28; non-ADHD, n = 27). Results: The ADHD group had significantly longer slow wave sleep (SWS) duration than the non-ADHD group (ADHD: 68.3 +/- 31.0 minutes vs. non-ADHD: 43.4 +/- 36.6 minutes; p = .0127). Conclusions: The increased SWS volume observed in drug-naive adult patients with ADHD may be related to the pathogenesis of this disorder.