ADHD research continues. That’s good.
There’s actually not much that’s very new, but:
The new DSM V Tr is due out March 2022. I’ll try to find out what it will change about ADHD diagnosis, but that’s probably not available yet.
New Research:
A lot depends on your definitions of “have” and “outgrow”. I don’t agree with everything in the above article, but most of it.
About 8% of US kids have ADHD, about half of those will no longer meet the criteria for the diagnosis after adolescence, but many of those adults will still have some symptoms, and their brains have become more normal but not entirely so.
Can we predict the best choice of treatment for a given person?
41% respond to both amphetamines (Adderall and others), 28 % respond better to amphetamines, 16% better to methylphenidate (Ritalin and others), and 15% to neither (which suggests the diagnosis needs to be reaffirmed). We can’t yet predict who will respond best to what. Methylphenidate has better acceptability and is the first choice. The stimulants statistically work better than the non stimulants (atomoxetine, guanfacine, clonidine, viloxazine) although every person is different.
The recommendations are before age six, use behavioral therapy and family counseling, then add medications at or after age six, with Ritalin being the best choice. I believe that every child (and every person) with ADHD deserves a trial of medications. It can make a huge difference.
White matter (the connecting “wires” in the brain) abnormalities were similar in ADHD and in autism. Variation in these abnormalities were thought to explain the variation in symptoms among us.
Certain networks (areas of the brain all connected by white matter) become more normal with stimulant treatment. The less abnormal they were, the better the chance of a good response.
I never heard of this before.
Personal Notes O the Day:
- Welcome to the new members of our tribe.
- That’s enough for today. There’s more to come.
- Also, I keep planning to do a post on the non-stimulant medications.
- I don’t always wind up doing what I plan to.
doug
The ADHD Mind
ADHD Brain
Off my med.
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