Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) News and Research

Latest Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) News and Research

Study finds nationwide increase in antipsychotic medications used for children with ADHD

A disturbing nationwide trend has been documented by a researcher at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt: Doctors are prescribing antipsychotic medicines for children with behavioral problems that are not defined as "psychosis," such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

18 Apr 2006

Skin patch to treat ADHD gets the green light

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. has approved a skin patch to control attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.

10 Apr 2006

Majority of young people with ADHD use their medications appropriately

A major concern regarding the use of stimulant medications to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adolescents and young adults has been the risk that they will be misused or diverted to those for whom they have not been prescribed.

4 Apr 2006

Link between children's sleep-related breathing problems and daytime behavior problems

Hyperactivity, attention deficit, sleepiness, and ADHD often improved - whether or not sleep studies showed sleep apnea before surgery.

4 Apr 2006

ADHD drug not safe for kids

According to a panel of experts advising the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the drug Provigil, although effective in treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and teenagers, is not safe enough to win approval.

26 Mar 2006

Extreme personality poses risk of ADHD

Children with personalities marked by aggressiveness, mood swings, a sense of alienation and a need for excitement may be at greater risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or conduct disorder, according to a new Florida State University study.

23 Mar 2006

TV and attention deficit disorders - is there a connection?

According to new research which in many respects runs contrary to currently held beliefs it does not appear that children who watch a lot of television necessarily have behavior problems in school.

7 Mar 2006

Concerta used to treat ADHD may be less likely to be abused than other stimulant drugs

A team led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers has found that a delayed-release stimulant used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be less likely to be abused than other stimulant drugs.

1 Mar 2006

Reading problems and behavior problems in boys are intertwined

It's been known for more than a decade that children with reading problems, particularly boys, also tend to have behavior problems, and vice versa. The reason behind the connection, however, remained unclear.

16 Feb 2006

Heart risk warning wanted on ADHD drugs

A U.S. advisory panel has recommended that drugs used by millions to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), should carry a warning of the risk of heart problems.

12 Feb 2006

Mental illness linked to diet

According to new research released this week, mental health is linked to diet and changes to diets over the last 50 years may hold the key to the rise of mental illness.

17 Jan 2006

Fish oil may improve behaviour of children with special educational needs

Students at a school for children with special educational needs in the UK are taking part in a study to see if taking fish oil supplements can improve their behaviour.

10 Jan 2006

Psychotropic drug prescriptions for teenagers has skyrocketed

Psychotropic drug prescriptions for teenagers skyrocketed 250 percent between 1994 and 2001, rising particularly sharply after 1999, when the federal government allowed direct-to-consumer advertising and looser promotion of off-label use of prescription drugs

6 Jan 2006

Methylphenidate may be effective in treating autism

Methylphenidate, a medication used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), may be effective in treating hyperactivity symptoms in children with autism and related pervasive developmental disorders, researchers report in the November Archives of General Psychiatry.

26 Nov 2005

Positive aspects of bipolar disorder

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have shown for the first time that a sample of children who either have or are at high risk for bipolar disorder score higher on a creativity index than healthy children.

14 Nov 2005

Early to bed helps learning ability at school

When children stay up late, they have more academic and attention problems at school, according to a new study from Brown Medical School to be published in the December issue of the journal SLEEP.

13 Nov 2005

Antisocial behavior in children associated with gene variant and environmental risk factors

For children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), possessing a variant of a gene involved in brain signaling may predict antisocial behavior and increase susceptibility to the effects of lower birth weight, according to a study in the November issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

7 Nov 2005

Methylphenidate shows promise for hyperactivity associated with autism

Medication commonly used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be effective for treatment of hyperactivity symptoms in children with autism and related pervasive developmental disorders, according to a study in the November issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

7 Nov 2005

Despite warning dangerous ADHD drug still being sold

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, liver problems linked to the attention deficit drug Cylert and other generic versions of the drug make it too dangerous for the U.S. market.

25 Oct 2005

Research has important implications for autism

New research from Melbourne's Howard Florey Institute helps to explain why children with autism spectrum disorders (autism) have problem-solving difficulties.

24 Oct 2005