Hyperactivity News and Research

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Scientists identify new brain process that allows us to suppress unwanted thoughts

Scientists have identified a key chemical within the 'memory' region of the brain that allows us to suppress unwanted thoughts, helping explain why people who suffer from disorders such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and schizophrenia often experience persistent intrusive thoughts when these circuits go awry.

3 Nov 2017

Study links signs of heightened arousal in PTSD to overactivity of locus coeruleus

A new study in Biological Psychiatry has linked signs of heightened arousal and reactivity -- a core symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) -- to overactivity of the locus coeruleus (LC), a brain region that mediates arousal and reactivity. By combining bodily responses and brain imaging data, the new paper by Dr. Christoph Mueller-Pfeiffer at the University of Zurich, Switzerland and colleagues is the first to provide direct human evidence for a theory over 30 years old.

31 Oct 2017

Continued Paracetamol exposure during pregnancy linked to ADHD in offspring

A new study has found that long term or continued use of acetaminophen or paracetamol during pregnancy is linked to a doubled risk of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. The study entitled, “Prenatal Exposure to Acetaminophen and Risk of ADHD” was published in the latest issue of the journal Pediatrics.

30 Oct 2017

Antidepressant use in children, adolescents linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes

A team of researchers from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and the University of Maryland School of Medicine found that current (prolonged) use of serotonin reuptake inhibitors – a major class of antidepressant medications – in children and adolescents was associated with a nearly two-fold increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes when compared to youths who formerly used (but eventually discontinued) those medications.

24 Oct 2017

Study sheds new light on why autism is more common in boys

Researchers aiming to understand why autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are more common in boys have discovered differences in a brain signaling pathway involved in reward learning and motivation that make male mice more vulnerable to an autism-causing genetic glitch.

17 Oct 2017

Younger children more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than older peers within same school year

Younger primary school children are more likely to be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than their older peers within the same school year, new research has shown.

10 Oct 2017

Whitehead Institute scientists identify brain/body connection in genomic region linked to autism

For the first time, Whitehead Institute scientists have documented a direct link between deletions in two genes--fam57ba and doc2a--in zebrafish and certain brain and body traits, such as seizures, hyperactivity, enlarged head size, and obesity.

9 Oct 2017

Moms of children with rare genetic illness push for wider newborn screening

Kerri De Nies received the news this spring from her son's pediatrician: Her chubby-cheeked toddler had a rare brain disorder.

5 Oct 2017

Online behavioral parent training effective in helping children with ADHD

Parents of children with ADHD can feel desperate for resources or treatments to help their children who struggle with inattention, distractibility, and impulsiveness affecting school and home.

3 Oct 2017

Program for strengthening parenting skills improves ADHD symptoms in young children

A program that focuses on strengthening parenting skills also improves symptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in 3-8 year-olds, according to researchers at the at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. FPG scientists completed a rigorous review of evidence that demonstrated the effectiveness of the "Incredible Years Basic Parent Program."

3 Oct 2017

NTU Singapore, KAIST scientists discover new mechanism that causes Parkinsonian symptoms

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology have identified a new mechanism that causes the hallmark symptoms of Parkinson's disease, namely tremors, rigidity, and loss of voluntary movement.

28 Sep 2017

Study shows benefits of delayed-release stimulant in children with ADHD

A phase 3 study of children ages 6-12 years with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has shown that a delayed-release, long-acting formulation of the stimulant methylphenidate, when taken in the evening, led to significant improvement in ADHD symptoms and functional impairment first thing the next morning, compared to a placebo.

27 Sep 2017

Researchers identify new mechanism that causes hallmark symptoms of Parkinson's disease

A KAIST research team has identified a new mechanism that causes the hallmark symptoms of Parkinson's disease, namely tremors, rigidity, and loss of voluntary movement.

26 Sep 2017

Rutgers scientists use genetic engineering technique to create brain cells for studying Tourette’s

Scientists at Rutgers University-New Brunswick used a genetic engineering technique for the first time to create brain cells from the blood cells of individuals in a three-generation family with Tourette syndrome to help determine what causes the disease.

25 Sep 2017

Scientists genetically engineer mice that display behavioral hallmarks of human bipolar disorder

Johns Hopkins researchers report they have genetically engineered mice that display many of the behavioral hallmarks of human bipolar disorder, and that the abnormal behaviors the rodents show can be reversed using well-established drug treatments for bipolar disorder, such as lithium.

18 Sep 2017

Researchers develop smart phone application for changing infant’s sleep habits

In Japan, infants' sleep time is one of the shortest in the world. A research group led by Osaka University developed a smart phone application in which caregivers could interactively consult with and receive advice from a group of pediatric sleep experts (pediatricians, a dentist, clinical psychologists, and a clinical developmental psychologist).

12 Sep 2017

Tracking eye movements offers new method for monitoring temporal expectation in ADHD

A technique that measures tiny movements of the eyes may help scientists better understand and perhaps eventually improve assessment of ADHD, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

12 Sep 2017

Maternal folic acid intake round conception may reduce children's pesticide-related autism risk

Researchers at UC Davis and other institutions have shown that mothers who take recommended amounts of folic acid around conception might reduce their children's pesticide-related autism risk.

8 Sep 2017

Eli Lilly to lay off 8.5 percent of employees in bid to cut costs

Eli Lilly and Company announced yesterday that they have decided to lay off around 8.5 percent of their employees. The company was on its way to develop two potential major drugs over the past year but set backs have led to major financial losses, leading to this decision.

7 Sep 2017

Structural abnormalities in the brain's white matter seen in children with ASD traits

Structural abnormalities in the brain's white matter match up consistently with the severity of autistic symptoms not only in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but also, to some degree, in those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who also have autistic traits.

6 Sep 2017