Comment: The cost of ignoring ADHD
Rob Rodrigues Pereira
pp 3-3
It is well known that the most vulnerable individuals are the first and most to suffer in an underprivileged society. This also goes for psychiatric patients in Western countries going through a recession; we know that there is a lot of hidden suffering. Anonymous online chat sites show that children with psychiatric parents, or children who are living in families where there is domestic violence or abuse, often do not get medical or psychological assistance.
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Internet addiction disorder and ADHD
Fiona Finlay and Carrie Furnell
pp 4-6
Many children and young people use the internet for playing games and to help with their homework, but for some, their use of the internet is excessive. Several parents have asked whether there is a connection between ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and internet addiction; therefore, we decided to look at this in more detail.
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An innovative approach to ADHD research in adults
Sanjay Jain and Serena Gregory
pp 7-9
Developing new medicines and therapies, and confirming the efficacy of existing ones, is vital for public health and we do this through research. Research prompts us to question our practice and fuels change in healthcare services. Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has set up an ADHD and Mental Health Research Unit (AMHRU) in Horsham to specialise in research into ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), a condition that is often underdiagnosed and has many misconceptions surrounding it.
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Maturational lag or maturation deficit in ADHD?
Beverley Steffert and Tony Steffert
pp 10-14
Behavioural maturation correlates with brain-based development. Maturation is not a linear story, there is an ebb and flow that has to be precisely timed for normal development – too fast can be just as damaging as too slow. In fact, a slower development of the prefrontal cortex can result in a cortical thickness that has been associated with a higher intelligence quotient (IQ), while a rapid development of the brain is associated with autism. Progressive increases in the thickness of pyramidal cells and synaptic density peak and ebb over childhood. Brain weight and head circumference increase and plateau at various ages.
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Abstract watch: Highlighting the various co-morbidities of ADHD
Nigel Humphrey
pp 15-15
In this abstract watch, we look at new research by Hayes et al, which focuses specifically on the neural markers for impulsivity and the role that ?-aminobutyric acid (GABA) may play in this. The second abstract explores the progression and effect of ADHD through middle and old age, with some surprising results. Shaw et al provide an exploration of emotional dysregulation in ADHD. This is topical given the debate on bipolar disorder co-morbidity with ADHD, and further insight into the nature of ADHD-specific emotional dysregulation is always helpful. We finish with an article designed for those who support ADHD adolescents through college and university: utilising cognitive behavioural therapy for ADHD adolescents appeared to have good outcomes.
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Treatment endpoints in the management of ADHD in children
Swetangi Ambekar
pp 16-18
The most common and efficacious form of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment in children remains psychotropic medication, with methylphenidate (MPH) being the most commonly prescribed. The ‘optimal dose’ is usually defined as the dose that has optimal effects and minimal side effects; however, there is no clear consensus on what defines an ‘optimal’ response to stimulant medication.
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Resources: ADDISS
pp 19-19
ADDISS (Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Services) was established in the late 1990s by Andrea Bilbow in response to the clear gap in the understanding and social acceptance of what is now more commonly understood as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
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