In the Journal of Attention Disorders, Yale researchers studied whether high IQ might offset ADHD tendencies.
The researchers found that having keen intelligence is no defense against the effects of ADHD. The researchers examined 157 ADHD adults with IQs equal to or greater than 120 (the top 9 percent of our society). The research tested the participant’s executive functions. Executive functions include the ability to attend, memory, organization, control of impulsivity, planning and decision making, etc.
About 75% of the study’s participants demonstrated significant impairments in memory and cognitive tests compared to people without ADHD with similar IQ’s.
“Each of these individuals might be compared to a symphony orchestra of very talented musicians who cannot produce adequate symphonic music because the orchestra lacks an effective conductor,” the authors wrote.
“Many of these people are told they can’t be suffering the loss of executive function (the ability to plan and carry out many day-to-day tasks) from ADHD because they are too smart,’’ said Thomas E. Brown, assistant professor of psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine and lead author of the study.
Therefore the researchers concluded that having superior intelligence did not fend off the problems that accompany ADHD. High IQ did not prevent forgetfulness or procrastination, or the ability to pay attention in daily tasks at work and home.
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