Research Page
ADHD's Genetic Link (30-09-2010)
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By: Kate Mowbray
Date: 7th May 2010
ADDept's National Coordinator, Mike Fewster was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease; his doctor informed him the disease was associated with the lack of Dopamine in the brain, which immediately ignited a spark as Mike knows that this is also the case with those suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Mike has since spoken to several people with Parkinson’s, and discovered that they all have descendants with either ADHD / Asperger Syndrome.
When Mike phoned me this morning and relayed his discovery I too became very excited at his revelation; I immediately started looking into the link between Dopamine and some of the other underlying co morbidities associated with adhd; and have found a similar connection.
ADDept is now looking into the connection between ADHD, Parkinson’s and various underlying co morbidities; if our theory is correct, by increasing dopamine levels in children, it may prevent the later occurrence of these disorders and diseases.
References:
Taken from: http://www.tuition.com.hk/psychology/p.htm#Parkinsons_disease
Dopamine: Is a chemical neurotransmitter in the brain, associated with learning and the experiences of pleasure and reward.
Parkinson's disease: a degenerative neurological disorder, typified by difficulties in movement, for instance a continual rapid tremor in the limbs, a lack of sensory-motor co-ordination and a tendency to be continually tired. The condition is thought to be caused by problems in the production of the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Dyslexia: 'developmental dyslexia' is used to explain difficulties with written and spoken language (across differing levels of intellect) that occurs as a result of development, whilst acquired dyslexia? Occurs as a result of a stroke or similar injury, whereby language skills are impaired.
I will update soon
Copyright
© 2010, ADDept Yorkshire Learning & Ability Support Group
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Clinical Studies
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) 2008 Sep 18; In press
Chan H H, Chang C C, Chiang S S, Chen J J, Chen C C, Sun H H, Hwu H H, Lai M M
Department of General Psychiatry, Taoyuan Mental Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Abstract
The objective of this study was to compare the effects of risperidone and olanzapine in schizophrenic patients with intolerant extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) on first generation antipsychotics. We conducted an 8-week, rater-blinded, flexible dose study. Seventy patients with schizophrenia, who met the DSM-IV research criteria of having neuroleptic-induced acute dystonia or parkinsonism, were randomly assigned to risperidone or olanzapine group. The primary outcome was a comparison of the incidence of concomitant anticholinergic drugs usage between the groups to manage their acute dystonia and parkinsonism. The average doses of risperidone and olanzapine from baseline to study end point were 1.8-3.5 mg/day and 7.7-11.7 mg/day, respectively. There were no significant differences in demographic data, severity of EPS or psychotic symptoms between the groups at baseline assessment. Patients taking risperidone had significantly higher incidence of using anticholinergic drugs to manage acute dystonia or parkinsonism overall during the study (OR = 5.17, 95%CI = 1.49-17.88, P = 0.013). There was no significant between-group difference in the changing of rating scales of EPS and psychotic symptoms. The results of our study favour olanzapine as a better choice in schizophrenic patients with intolerant EPS. Double-blinded, fixed dose and different ethnical study for EPS-intolerant schizophrenic patients is needed to confirm the results of our study.
Adult ADHD Often Undiagnosed by
New York
University School of Medicine Survey Reveals
Inexperience and Lack of Training, Resources Cited as Barriers to
Diagnosis
NEW YORK –Inadequate clinical training, inexperience
and the lack of a well-validated screening tool are major barriers
prohibiting primary care physicians from diagnosing ADHD in adults,
according to a national survey released today by New York University
School of Medicine. The survey also revealed that primary care
physicians would take a more active role in treating adult ADHD if these
issues were addressed.
ADHD affects nearly 8 million American adults and can lead to increased healthcare costs, higher divorce rates, unemployment and motor vehicle accidents. Yet, the vast majority of these patients remain undiagnosed, with only one quarter seeking medical help for impairment associated with ADHD. Even those patients who seek help often aren’t identified as having ADHD.
"The results tell us that we need to do a better job of supporting primary care physicians who are on the front lines of diagnosing adult ADHD," said Lenard Adler, M.D., Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Neurology at New York University School of Medicine. "This disorder causes significant problems for millions of adults and yet their doctors, including internists and general practitioners, often miss it."
A new symptom assessment tool, the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), may assist physicians in evaluating symptoms of ADHD. Dr. Adler and other ADHD experts, in conjunction with the World Health Organization, developed the ASRS.
Key Survey Findings
Nearly half (48 percent) of 400 primary care physicians surveyed said they do not feel confident in diagnosing ADHD in adults.
Only 34 percent of primary care physicians report being "very knowledgeable" or "extremely knowledgeable" about adult ADHD compared with 92 percent who said the same for depression and 83 percent for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
Sixty-four percent of survey respondents indicated they received "not at all thorough" or "not very thorough" instruction in diagnosing and treating adult ADHD, compared with 13 percent who said the same for their training in depression.
Sixty-five percent of primary care physicians defer to a specialist when diagnosing adult ADHD compared with two percent for depression and three percent for GAD.
Eighty-five percent of primary care physicians surveyed said they would
take a more active role in diagnosing and treating adult ADHD if they
had an easy-to-use screening tool.
"Making quality, easy-to-use screening and symptom assessment tools available to physicians and the public will help adults with ADHD receive an accurate evaluation," added Dr. Adler. "These tools could go a long way to help increase confidence among primary care physicians in diagnosing adult ADHD."
Development of the ASRS was supported in part by an unrestricted educational grant from Eli Lilly and Company.
Survey Methodology
Four hundred physicians completed the survey from May 14, 2003 through
May 28, 2003. New York University School of Medicine Institutional Board
of Research Associates approved the final survey instrument. The survey
was conducted by Harris Interactive® for New York University School of
Medicine, with support from Eli Lilly and Company. Target physicians
were in family practice, general practice or internal medicine and were
recruited randomly from the American Medical Association master file. In
order to qualify, physicians must have been practicing for at least two
years and treating at least 30 patients per week with any combination of
ADHD, bipolar disorder, depression, GAD or obsessive compulsive
disorder. Recruitment for the survey was completed by mail, and the
survey was conducted online.
Until the 1970s, ADHD was believed to be a childhood disorder that was
outgrown. However, scientists now know that while hyperactivity may
diminish, clinically significant inattentiveness and impulsivity can
persist into adulthood. In adults, ADHD manifests itself through
symptoms including inability to focus, disorganization and restlessness.
Adults with ADHD have lower rates of professional employment, frequent
job changes, lower self-esteem and poor social skills.
For more information about adult ADHD, visit
www.adultadd.com,
www.medscape.com,
www.webmd.com,
www.chadd.org and
www.add.org.
For complete survey results, please contact:
Leslie Forte, Chamberlain Communications Group at 212-884-0684 or
lforte@chamberlainpr.com, or Nancy Wong, Harris Interactive at
About New York University
One of the world’s premier academic medical institutions for more than
155 years, NYU Medical Center continues to be a leader in patient care,
physician education and scientific research. NYU Medical Center is
internationally renowned for excellence in areas such as cardiovascular
disease, pediatrics, skin care, neurosurgery, urology, cancer care,
rehabilitation, plastic surgery, minimally invasive surgery, transplant
surgery, infertility, women’s health and day surgery.
Dr. Adler has received research grants and educational grants, and has
participated in consulting, advisory boards and speakers’ bureaus for:
Eli Lilly and Company, Pfizer Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.,
Abbott Laboratories, McNeil Pharmaceutical, Johnson & Johnson,
GlaxoSmithKline, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Merck & Co., Inc.
About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive (www.harrisinteractive.com ) is a worldwide market research and consulting firm best known for
The Harris Poll®, and for pioneering the Internet
method to conduct scientifically accurate market research. Headquartered
in Rochester, New York, U.S.A., Harris Interactive combines proprietary
methodologies and technology with expertise in predictive, custom and
strategic research. The Company conducts international research through
wholly owned subsidiaries—London-based HI Europe (www.hieurope.com)
and Tokyo-based Harris Interactive Japan—as well as through the Harris
Interactive Global Network of local market- and opinion-research firms,
and various U.S. offices. EOE M/F/D/V
Contact: Pamela McDonnell
Office of Public Affairs
NYU School of Medicine
Tel: 212-404-3555
Fax: 212-404-3570
E-mail:
Pamela.McDonnell@med.nyu.edu
ADHD's Genetic Link
"Too often, people dismiss ADHD as being down to bad parenting or poor diet. As
a clinician, it was clear to me that this was unlikely to be the case. Now we
can say with confidence that ADHD is a genetic disease and that the brains of
children with this condition develop differently to those of other children,”
she added.
ADHD is one of the most common mental health disorders in childhood, affecting
around one in 50 children in the UK. Children with ADHD are excessively
restless, impulsive and distractible, and experience difficulties at home and in
school. Although no cure exists for the condition, symptoms can be reduced by a
combination of medication and behavioural therapy.
http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/research/neuroscience/news/adhd-genetic.html
Why you shouldn’t ignore signs of ADD in children
Posted By Dr. Amen On October 12, 2010 @ 10:00 am In ADD | 8 Comments
Just the other day I saw something on the Internet posted by a parent saying that attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) aren’t real problems. “It’s BS,” the parent wrote. “Doesn’t anyone know that kids are supposed to be hyper?”
I hate seeing posts like this. I do agree that there are some children taking prescription medication for ADD who may not actually have ADD or who may not need medication. As you know, I prefer natural therapies as a first line of defense.
But writing off ADD symptoms as just “normal childhood behavior” can be just as troublesome for your child. I just read another scientific study showing how ADD can set your child up for other problems later in life.
A study in the Archives of General Psychiatry found that children diagnosed with ADHD between the ages of 4 and 6 are about 10 times more likely to suffer from depression during adolescence than adolescents without ADHD. Not only that, children with ADHD are five times more likely to contemplate suicide and twice as likely to attempt suicide. The researchers reported that these occurrences, however, were relatively rare.
The researchers at the University of Chicago and the University of Pittsburgh followed 125 children ages 4 to 6 with ADHD and 123 demographically matched children without ADHD. The researchers assessed the children for depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts between the ages of 9 and 18.
The researchers found that the risk for depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts depended on the type of ADHD, as follows:
§ Having attention problems but not hyperactivity predicted only depression.
§ Having hyperactivity but not attention problems predicted suicidal behavior.
§ Having attention problems and hyperactivity predicted both depression and suicidal behavior.
I found this study so disturbing that I had to write to caution you against ignoring the signs of ADHD in children. Ignoring ADHD or hoping your children will grow out of it can be truly life-threatening, as this study shows.
Taking action to effectively treat ADHD can be so beneficial. And treatment doesn’t have to involve medication. I have seen thousands of my patients reduce or eliminate their symptoms with natural interventions, including diet and exercise.
I also found this study intriguing because it points out that different types of ADHD can lead to different behavioral and mood issues. This is something I have been saying for years. Based on our brain imaging work, I have found that ADD is not just ONE thing, and giving everyone the same treatment will work for some people but will make some people worse.
You can find out more about the 6 types of ADD and natural ways to treat each type in my Healing ADD Power Program [1]. Through this program you will learn specifically what type or types of ADD are present in your child or yourself. And you’ll learn specifically what you can do about it!
Article printed from Amen Clinics: http://www.amenclinics.com
URL to article: http://www.amenclinics.com/blog/4014/why-you-shouldn%e2%80%99t-ignore-signs-of-add-in-children/
URLs in this post:
[1] Healing ADD Power
Program: http://store.amenclinics.com/books/healing-add-power-program