Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) News and Research

Latest Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) News and Research

Study tracks changes in spending, prices, and use of health care services by children

Spending on health care for children grew faster than spending for adults between 2007 and 2010 due to increasing prices for all categories of goods and services, finds a new report from the Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI).

2 Jul 2012

Eight-year trends in pediatric drug use examined

A review of US outpatient pediatric drug use over the past 8 years shows a decrease in systemic antibiotic, allergy, pain, and depression prescriptions, and an increase in asthma, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and contraceptive prescriptions.

29 Jun 2012

Age at which ADHD children begin taking medication influences academic progress

A team of researchers led by an epidemiologist at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and University of Iceland has found a correlation between the age at which children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) begin taking medication, and how well they perform on standardized tests, particularly in math.

26 Jun 2012

FDA approves Actavis Mixed Amphetamine Salts ER Capsules

Actavis Group, an international generic pharmaceuticals company, today announced that it has received approval from the US Food & Drug Administration to market Dextroamphetamine Saccharate, Amphetamine Aspartate Monohydrate, Dextroamphetamine Sulfate, Amphetamine Sulfate Extended-Release Capsules CII, (hereafter referred to as Mixed Amphetamine Salts ER Capsules), in all available strengths: 5mg, 10mg, 15mg, 20mg, 25mg, and 30mg.

25 Jun 2012

People can train their brains to become less impulsive

New research from psychologists at the Universities of Exeter and Cardiff shows that people can train their brains to become less impulsive, resulting in less risk-taking during gambling. The research could pave the way for new treatments for people with addictions to gambling, drugs or alcohol as well as impulse-control disorders, such as ADHD.

15 Jun 2012

Longer looks: Battling HIV in Washington; Adderall use among U.S. high schoolers

On a recent day not far from Capitol Hill and the White House, about a dozen HIV outreach workers toting bright yellow duffle bags stuffed with condoms and prevention information stood outside of the Anacostia Metro station. ... After a couple of hours, they had handed out hundreds of packs of condoms -- and had persuaded 21 people to take an HIV test with an oral swab in a Chevy van parked nearby. "You have to know your status, man. I'd rather be safe than sorry," said Alvern Harris, 25, as he waited for his results.

15 Jun 2012

Targeting noradrenergic system combats gait freezing in Parkinson’s patients

Methylphenidate may be a useful treatment for patients with advanced Parkinson's disease receiving subthalamic nucleus stimulation who experience gait hypokinesia and freezing, show findings from a randomized trial.

14 Jun 2012

Viewpoints: Hoping that 'Gang of Six' will cut fiscal deal; Sen. Alexander links health law and college tuition increases

The public has a famously low opinion of Congress, even though people tend to hold a less disparaging view of their own representatives. The last two years have been especially tough on the institution's reputation, a response to the body's relentless brinkmanship and paralyzing partisanship in the face of a slow economy. So it is with some trepidation that I throw out a little love for a handful of senators still seeking bipartisan agreement on a plan to bring the federal government back to fiscal responsibility.

11 Jun 2012

Advance's Summer College Institute to take place from August 5-12

Advance LA announced today its newest program, The Summer College Institute. This innovative program will take place August 5-12, 2012, on the campus of American Jewish University in Los Angeles.

11 Jun 2012

With Adderall shortage, drug counterfeiters try to seize a market opportunity

A shortage of Adderall began last year, sending millions of people with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy on perpetual wild goose chases to find drugstores with the pills they need to stay alert and focused. So it's not surprising that Adderall counterfeiters have seized a big marketing opportunity. What is surprising is their clumsiness.

31 May 2012

AssureRx closes $12.5M Series C financing

AssureRx Health, Inc. today announced the closing of a $12.5 million Series C financing. The personalized medicine company, which provides clinically-relevant information to help physicians select the right drug for individual neuropsychiatric patients, will use the funds to increase commercial activities for its two flagship pharmacogenomic products, GeneSightRx Psychotropic and GeneSightRx® ADHD, as well as next generation product development activities.

31 May 2012

Zebrafish can modify their behaviour in response to varying situations

Scientists at Queen Mary, University of London have shown that zebrafish could be used to study the underlying causes of psychiatric disorders.

18 May 2012

Nine fine-grained patterns of Internet usage may indicate depression

In a new study analyzing Internet usage among college students, researchers at Missouri University of Science and Technology have found that students who show signs of depression tend to use the Internet differently than those who show no symptoms of depression.

17 May 2012

Researchers develop new form of specially bred mouse that mimics ADHD

The number of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) cases in the United States are exploding. According to a 2011 statement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one in 10 American children is diagnosed with the disorder.

11 May 2012

Article evaluates benefits and costs of screening programs for prevention of SCD

An article, published in Circulation by Laurel K. Leslie, MD, MPH from the Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) and colleagues from Tufts Medical Center and Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center, has evaluated the lifesaving benefits and costs of screening programs for the prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in children and adolescents.

10 May 2012

Results reported for clinical trial for the treatment of depression using external trigeminal nerve stimulation

Earlier today, at the American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, Dr. Ian Cook, Principal Investigator and Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA, and a Senior Medical Advisor to NeuroSigma, Inc., presented the results of a Phase Ib open-label clinical trial that studied the effects of eTNS™ on depressive symptoms in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy. Results from the 17-question Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17), a clinician-rated scale, showed a 50.0% reduction in depression and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), a self-reported scale, showed a 58.0% reduction in scores. Both scales achieved statistical significance. In the trial, subjects placed stimulating eTNS™ electrodes on their foreheads for 8 hours each night and their depression was measured every two weeks using recognized standard tests. eTNS was well tolerated and no serious adverse events occurred during the 8-week treatment period.

9 May 2012

Ritalin use in ADHD rises four-fold over a decade

According to latest figures prescriptions for Ritalin for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have quadrupled in a decade. This has raised concerns that it is being given to children at the expense of alternative treatments and without appreciation of long-term effects.

8 May 2012

AssureRx introduces new pharmacogenomic test for ADHD

AssureRx Health, Inc. today announced it has launched a personalized medicine test for the growing number of children and adults diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The new pharmacogenomic test can assist clinicians with important medication decisions that result from genomic differences in how individual patients tolerate ADHD medications.

7 May 2012

Scientists address mental health and well-being at Association for Psychological Science's annual meeting

Are our existing treatments for mental health issues working? Can we design new and better approaches to intervention? Can we even tell which factors promote mental health? Clinical psychological scientists will be addressing these and many other questions related to mental health and well-being at the Association for Psychological Science's 24th annual meeting in Chicago, May 24-27, 2012.

3 May 2012

Dopamine linked to willingness to work for a monetary reward

A new brain imaging study has shown that an individual’s willingness to work hard to earn money is strongly influenced by the chemistry in three specific areas of the brain. Researchers claim that this could have important implications for the treatment of attention-deficit disorder, depression, schizophrenia and other forms of mental illness characterized by decreased motivation.

3 May 2012