ADHD in the News 2022-01-06

‘Few-Foods’ Diet Could Be Recipe for Easing ADHD Symptoms

New research suggests that short-term nutritional intervention, which tests whether certain foods are a trigger for ADHD symptoms through the process of elimination, might make a difference...The study included 79 boys between the ages of 8 and 10 who had ADHD...The findings were published recently in the journal Scientific Reports.



Visuals increase attention; now science explains why

In a paper published Dec. 17 in the journal Science Advances, authors from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (also referred to as UT Health San Antonio) report that norepinephrine, a fundamental chemical for brain performance, is locally regulated in a brain region called the visual cortex.



Study: No link between head impacts in youth football and brain, behavior issues

Repetitive head impacts in youth tackle football among children ages 9 to 12 are not associated with cognitive or behavioral problems, a study published Thursday by JAMA Network Open found.



Rate of ADHD, autism diagnoses higher among children on Medicaid, study finds

Children covered under Medicaid are twice as likely to be diagnosed with disorders such as ADHD or autism compared with those who have private insurance, a study published Wednesday by JAMA Psychiatry found. And regardless of their insurance status, 30% of White children are diagnosed with one of these disorders by age 8, compared with 23% of Black children, 15% of Hispanic children and 9% of Asian children, researchers said.



Digital Therapies Targeting Neural Markers Beneficial for Children With ADHD

A team, led by Courtney L. Gallen, PhD, Department of Neurology, University of California, assessed a group of children with ADHD on neural, behavioral, and clinical metrics of attention before and after a 4 week at-home intervention on an iPad targeting a critical neural marker for attention.



Sneaky Sensory Triggers in ADHD That No One Talks About

KEY POINTS: Sensory processing issues are common in neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD and autism. The overstimulation of one or all five senses can trigger sensory overload. Learning what triggers sensory overload and making accommodations using sensory-friendly items can help alleviate a meltdown.



The Link Between Adult ADHD and Fatigue

KEY POINTS: There is emerging research on the ADHD-fatigue connection. Simply dealing with ADHD-related problems every day is tiring. There are ways to manage adult ADHD that are less taxing for the brain and can free up mental energy.



7 Differences in the ADHD Brain vs. the Neurotypical Brain

Regardless, it's time that ADHD be recognized for what it is: a neurodevelopmental disorder, not a myth, nor a result of poor parenting. Below I will outline structures of the brain that are different in volume and shape and how those differences are thought to be linked to behaviors associated with ADHD. The ADHD brain is structurally and functionally distinct, and hopefully, the evidence below will keep the naysayers quiet... for now.



ADHD, Social Norms, and the Workplace

KEY POINTS: Growing up in our society, we learn various social norms across different contexts. ADHD can make it challenging to properly learn those cues. Not understanding or adhering to social norms due to neurodivergency can create negative social outcomes, including at work. In the workplace, ADHD people can struggle to navigate social norms, which can impact their experience at work.



ADHD and Suicide Risk

Suicide researchers in Canada aimed to identify whether people diagnosed with attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at increased risk of attempting suicide. They analyzed data from more than 20,000 respondents from Canada’s National Community Health Survey. Result? 14% of adults with ADHD attempted suicide, while 2.7% of adults without ADHD attempted suicide.