Editorial. Stimulant medications have been used to treat symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for over 80 years, longer than the use of antibiotics to treat infection (1). Based on data from over 6 million individuals in an insurance database, the 2008 annual prevalence for filled stimulant prescriptions was found to be 4.6% for children ages 6–12 years, 3.7% for adolescents (13–18 years), and 1.6% for young adults (19–24 years) (2). These figures are in line with data from other studies (3) and are below the estimated 7% 1-year prevalence of childhood ADHD (4). The short-term efficacy of stimulants in ADHD is well established (5), yet despite eight decades of clinical use, there continues to be angst over it. Reviews call attention to the fact that there have been no long-term studies of stimulant use beyond 1 year (6), and this fact is often brought up by the lay media in discussions of the treatment of ADHD (7).. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
The comparative efficacy and tolerability of methylphenidate (MPH) and neurofeedback (NF) in individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) remains uncertain. This study aimed to fill this gap by means of a systematic review/meta-analysis.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
Editorial. In this issue, results from the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) section of the ENIGMA (Enhanced Neuroimaging Genetics Through Meta-Analysis) consortium are reported for cortical measures (1), complementing an earlier report of intracranial volume and subcortical structures (2). Combining data from 36 sites, these reports represent the largest-sample ADHD neuroimaging studies to date (2,246 individuals with ADHD and 1,934 control subjects).. Login at top right hand side of page using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens for full text.
ADHD persists into old age, with prevalence rates of 2.8 to 3.3% in adults over 60 years of age. Most diagnostic assessment tools are not validated for older adults. The Quantified behavioral Test (QbTest) is an objective assessment for the core symptoms of ADHD, and is validated for children and younger adults. We investigated whether the QbTest can be used to differentiate between older adults with ADHD and healthy controls.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
Chris Hollis and colleagues' Article1 in The Lancet Psychiatry has many strengths. It addresses an important clinical question: does methylphenidate treatment for ADHD increase the risk of psychosis in patients with and without previous psychotic symptoms. Hollis and colleagues used Swedish national registers to review a large number (n=23 898) of health records, to examine the incidence of psychotic symptoms 12 weeks before, 12 weeks after, and 1 year after starting medication treatment, with a longitudinal within-subject study design. Their results indicated that methylphenidate treatment for ADHD does not increase psychotic symptoms in the short-term or long-term in patients with and without previous psychosis. There is some suggestion in their study that methylphenidate might, in fact, decrease the risk of a psychotic episode, particularly in patients with a history of psychosis. The findings of their study should therefore be reassuring to clinicians. However, as the authors themselves point out, the study has several limitations that could affect the reassuring message.. Please contact the library to request a copy of this article - http://bit.ly/2HjNDf3
There is a clinical concern that prescribing methylphenidate, the most common pharmacological treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), might increase the risk of psychotic events, particularly in young people with a history of psychosis. We aimed to determine whether the risk of psychotic events increases immediately after initiation of methylphenidate treatment or, in the longer term, 1 year after treatment initiation in adolescents and young adults with and without a previously diagnosed psychotic disorder.. Please contact the library to request a copy of this article - http://bit.ly/2HjNDf3
Samuele Cortese on psychosis ADHD, a recent study that looks at the comparative risk of psychosis during treatment with methylphenidate and amphetamines.
Neuropsychology (May 16, 2019). DOI:10.1037/neu0000562
Objective: Deficits in the ability to perceive time have been proposed as an etiologic mechanism in the development of the cognitive and behavioral characteristics associated with ADHD. However, previous studies testing the presence of timing deficits have produced idiosyncratic results. This is in large part due to the underutilization of insights from basic timing research, and from the inherent difficulty that arises when a single index of performance (i.e., reaction time [RT] or accuracy) is used to index the health of what is essentially a multiple-component process. The current article utilizes a diffusion model approach to isolate the component processes involved in timing (i.e., internal clock speed, decision-making speed, speed/accuracy trade-off strategies, and nondecision time) using a well-validated timing task.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
Open access. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism are increasingly recognised in adults. For a diagnostic evaluation, parental information on childhood development is needed. However, no instruments that retrospectively describe neurodevelopmental problems in childhood are validated for evaluating adults. The 181-item parent-report questionnaire Five to Fifteen (FTF) is nevertheless frequently used for assessments in adulthood.
The benefits of long-term use of methylphenidate treatment in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as frequently prescribed in clinical practice, are unclear. The authors investigated whether methylphenidate remains beneficial after 2 years of use.. Login at top right hand side of page using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens for full text.
Living with ADHD can be very difficult for children and young people, as well as their families. Stephanie Thornton provides an overview of the condition and offers advice to help support them in the school environment. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
Altered neural connectivity in neurodevelopmental disorders is likely subtle, meaning that neuroimaging literature studying development has produced heterogeneous findings. A recent study, published in this issue, illustrates the translational potential of functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging findings as a biomarker for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Importantly, it highlights the overlap between disorders, emphasising the need for transdiagnostic and dimensional approaches in neurodevelopment.. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
Neuroimaging studies show structural alterations of various brain regions in children and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), although nonreplications are frequent. The authors sought to identify cortical characteristics related to ADHD using large-scale studies.. Login at top right hand side of page using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens for full text.
Learning disabilities (LD) and attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are often accompanied by significant socio‐emotional impairments and mental health challenges. However, there is a lack of controlled, quantitative research on potential interventions to address this issue. The current study evaluated the impact of a near‐peer mentoring program for youth with LD/ADHD designed to promote socio‐emotional well‐being.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
Adults with a history of childhood attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Black drinkers are at elevated risk for alcohol problems and alcohol use disorder. Processes that increase risk for these distinct populations have not focused on in‐the‐moment behaviors that occur while drinking. The present study examined in‐the‐moment drinking characteristics (i.e., location, social context, day, time, drink type, speed of consumption) that may differ for individuals with and without ADHD histories or for Black and White drinkers. We also examined the interplay among these in‐the‐moment drinking characteristics to further understanding of contexts when risk may be momentarily increased.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
This study is not particularly persuasive.
The overall difference between children using screens for more than 2 hours or less than 30 minutes was tiny: only a 2.2 score difference in their attention problem scores.
Though the children using screens for more than 2 hours had a higher risk of clinically significant attention problems or significant ADHD symptoms, these problems only affected around 1% of the whole study sample. So these are very small numbers
Neuropsychology (Apr 4, 2019). DOI:10.1037/neu0000546
Objective: Set shifting, or cognitive flexibility, is a core executive function involving the ability to quickly and efficiently shift back and forth between mental sets. Meta-analysis suggests medium-magnitude shifting impairments in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, this conclusion may be premature because the evidence-base relies exclusively on tasks that have been criticized for poor construct validity and may better reflect general neuropsychological functioning rather than shifting specifically.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
The diagnosis of ADHD is often missed or misdiagnosed in people with intellectual disability. Despite a significant growth in literature on the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in people without intellectual disability, there have been few studies on ADHD in people with intellectual disability. In this paper, we describe a group of adults with intellectual disability and ADHD disorder open to a specialist community intellectual disability service.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
Several studies have investigated whether in utero exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is associated with increased risk of developing mental‐ or behavioral disorders. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta‐analysis based on this literature.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
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Psychological Assessment (Feb 25, 2019). DOI:10.1037/pas0000706
The current project outlines the development of the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Symptom Infrequency Scale (ASIS), a stand-alone measure designed to identify individuals feigning or exaggerating symptoms to receive a diagnosis of ADHD.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common and highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorder with a complex pathophysiology. Intracranial volume (ICV) and volumes of the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, caudate nucleus, hippocampus, and putamen are smaller in people with ADHD compared with healthy individuals. The authors investigated the overlap between common genetic variation associated with ADHD risk and these brain volume measures to identify underlying biological processes contributing to the disorder. . Login at top right hand side of page using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens for full text.
Neuropsychology (Jan 28, 2019). DOI:10.1037/neu0000531
Objective: Deficient planning is commonly observed among children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and is associated with several adverse outcomes. The current meta-analysis expands on previous reviews by examining performance and latency metrics across five tower planning task variants, in addition to applying metaregression techniques to examine potential moderating effects.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
Psychological Assessment (Feb 7, 2019). DOI:10.1037/pas0000688
Despite widespread recognition that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder, optimal methods of diagnosis among adults remain elusive. Substantial overlap between ADHD symptoms and cognitive symptoms of other mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, and concerns about validity in symptom reporting have made the use of neuropsychological tests in ADHD diagnostic assessment appealing. However, past work exploring the potential diagnostic utility of neuropsychological tests among adults has often relied on a relatively small subset of tests, has failed to include symptom and performance validity measures, and often does not include comparison groups of participants with commonly comorbid disorders, such as depression. The current study examined the utility of an extensive neuropsychological measure battery for diagnosing ADHD among adults.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.