Short- and long-latency auditory evoked potentials (SAEPs and LAEPs), visual-evoked potentials (VEPs), and contingent negative variation (CNV) were studied in 32 chronic alcoholics and their age-, sex-, and education-matched control subjects. The alcoholics exhibited a delayed SAEP peak V and an increase in the III-V and I-V intervals, increased VEP P100 latency, increased LAEP N2 and P3 latencies and increased LAEP N1-P2 amplitude. The analysis of the anomalies at a clinical level indicates a differential sensitivity of the event-related potentials. The parameters most sensitive to chronic alcohol consumption were (in descending order) P3 latency, peak V latency, the I-V and III-V intervals, and P100 latency.

To test different versions of the premature aging hypothesis in alcoholics, brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs), long-latency auditory evoked potentials (LAEPs), P3 and visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were recorded in 32 alcoholic subjects. The phenomena in patients’ event-related potentials (ERPs) differ from those observed in normal aging subjects and become more pronounced with age. ANOVA showed a significant effect by group (alcoholic patients/controls) on certain parameters of BAEPs (III, III-V, I-V), VEPs (P100 latency) and LAEPs (Nl-P2 amplitude and N2 latency) unaffected by age, while age had a significant effect on some parameters of LAEPs (N2-P3 amplitude, P3 latency) unaffected, or less affected by chronic alcohol consumption. At a clinical level, abnormalities in BAEPs and VEPs seem good early trouble indices in alcoholic patients, while alterations in latencies and amplitudes of LAEPs appear in older patients. These data seem to be in favor of a critical age or critical abuse in the action of alcohol, in place of the classical hypothesis of premature aging.

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IntroductionAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) prevalence in the general adult population is estimated to be between 2–4%. Despite the high prevalence, until recently there was only one validated semi-structured interview available for the accurate diagnostic assessment of ADHD within the adult population: the Conners Adult ADHD Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV (CAADID).ObjectivesTo examine the concurrent validity of the DIVA 2.0 interview comparing the diagnostic rate with the CAADID interview. To analyse the criterion validity of the DIVA 2.0 in the Spanish language in an adult sample.AimsThe aim of this is to study was to evaluate criterion validity of the DIVA 2.0 in an adult sample comparing with the CAADID and other ADHD severity scales.MethodsA transversal study was performed to check the criteria and concurrent validity of the DIVA 2.0 compared to the CAADID.ResultsForty patients were recruited in an adult ADHD program at a university hospital. The DIVA 2.0 interview showed a diagnostic accuracy of 100% when compared with the diagnoses obtained with the CAADID interview and goods correlations with three self-reported rating scales: the WURS, the ADHD Rating Scale and Sheehan's’ Dysfunction Inventory.ConclusionsThe DIVA 2.0 has good psychometric properties and is a reliable tool for the assessment of ADHD in adults.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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