Hyperactivity News and Research

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Lack of sleep may cause behavioral, learning and attention problems

Nine-year-old Fernando Perry-Mendoza may no longer need medication for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder thanks to the results of a sleep study at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital’s new Pediatric Sleep Program.

1 Sep 2004

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder high among Chernobyl children

In an extensive study of children exposed to varying levels of fallout from the 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident, Israeli researchers have found that Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) scores are higher among those who were in-utero at the time of the accident -- regardless of their actual level of radiation exposure.

26 Aug 2004

Are nicotine patches safe for pregnant women?

A £1 million study, being led by a team of multidisciplinary researchers at The University of Nottingham, is to look at whether nicotine replacement skin patches could help pregnant mums to stop smoking.

26 Aug 2004

High stress during pregnancy may increase likelihood of behavior problems in child

Children may be more likely to develop behavior problems like attention deficit disorder if their mothers report high levels of stress and anxiety during the earlier half of their pregnancy, researchers report in the journal Child Development.

25 Aug 2004

"Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study" - a landmark study

The "Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study" (TADS), reported in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association, is the first multi- center, randomized clinical effectiveness trial to review a combination of treatments for the types of adolescent depression likely to be treated in routine community-based practice settings.

18 Aug 2004

Boys exposed to cocaine in the womb are more likely to have behavioral problems than girls

While no specific cause of the gender-specific findings was identified, the researchers note that the study confirms animal studies that also suggest gender plays a role in the effects of cocaine exposure.

13 Aug 2004

Investigating how young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder process sound

Mary-Claire Hanlon, a Psychology Honours student at the University of Newcastle under the supervision of Dr Frini Karayanidis and Associate Professor Ulrich Schall, is recruiting participants for the study investigating the role of sound and dopaminergic mechanisms (brain chemicals) in people with ADHD.

12 Aug 2004

Approval of Cymbalta for treatment of major depressive disorder

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Cymbalta® (duloxetine HCl; pronounced SIM-BALL-TA), judging it a safe and effective treatment for major depressive disorder, Eli Lilly and Company have announced.

5 Aug 2004

High levels of anxiety during a woman's pregnancy increases child risk of disease and disorder

The idea that a woman's emotional state during pregnancy affects her unborn child has persisted for centuries and has, in recent years, been supported by science.

16 Jul 2004

Mollycoddled boys are more likely to grow into men who will be more successful at work and in their relationships

Boys who are “mollycoddled” as babies and toddlers are more likely to grow into men who will be more successful at work and in their relationships than babies who are taught to be tough.

10 Jul 2004

Identification of a naturally occurring genetic difference that controls the production of serotonin in the brain

Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have provided the first direct evidence in mice for the role of an enzyme that specifically controls the production of serotonin in the brain.

8 Jul 2004

Treatment with Strattera makes children with ADHD fall asleep faster

Twice daily treatment with Strattera® (atomoxetine HCl), approved for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), showed children with ADHD fell asleep faster compared to three-times daily treatment with methylphenidate

29 Jun 2004

SPECT imaging helps attention deficit hyperactivity disorder patients

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common behavioral disorder in children; it adversely affects performance in school and emotional development, and the symptoms can continue into adulthood.

23 Jun 2004

Effects of Zen meditation and how the brain functions during meditative states

Zen meditation is an ancient spiritual practice that promotes awareness and presence through the undivided engagement of mind and body.

17 Jun 2004

NICE guides new treatments for prostate cancer, drugs misuse, osteoporosis and heart failure

New treatments for prostate cancer, drugs misuse, osteoporosis and heart failure are being referred to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), Lord Warner announced today.

16 Jun 2004

Drug helps children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who take 36- or 54-mg doses of once-daily CONCERTA® (methylphenidate HCl) CII are more likely to achieve significantly greater symptom response and symptom reduction than children with ADHD who take CONCERTA 18 mg once daily or near-equivalent doses of methylphenidate three-times-a-day, a study shows.

3 Jun 2004

Food colourings and preservatives make kids hyperactive

Artificial food colourings and preservatives have a "significant" impact on hyperactivity levels in very young children, finds research in Archives of Disease in Childhood.

25 May 2004

Improving the care delivered to children with special health care needs

Health care delivered close to home is vitally important, especially when the patient is a child. But how do community pediatric practices adapt to offer the best care when faced with a child who has complex and often, multiple health needs? Reporting in this month's issue of Pediatrics, Dartmouth researchers outline a process designed to help any practice become a state of the art "medical home" for such children.

20 May 2004

New research finds that boys really do have more reading difficulties than girls

New research from the University of Warwick finds that boys really do have more reading difficulties than girls. The study into reading disabilities, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, confirms that boys are much more prone to having trouble than girls, and it's not simply because they're more disruptive.

12 May 2004

Having an alcoholic stepfather increases risk of behavior problems in girls more than boys

Living with an alcoholic stepfather is associated with a significantly higher risk of behavior problems in girls than boys, according to a new study by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University.

10 May 2004