Psychoeducation for adult ADHD: a scoping review about characteristics, patient involvement, and content.

BACKGROUND: Psychosocial interventions such as psychoeducation are increasingly being used to treat adult ADHD, both as an alternative and as a supplement to pharmacotherapy. A thorough overview of the literature on psychoeducation for adult ADHD is lacking. The objectives of this scoping review were therefore to identify the characteristics of psychoeducation interventions designed for adults with ADHD, examine how the patient experience or perspective is considered during the intervention's development and implementation, determine the typical themes covered, and explore how 'psychoeducation' is defined in these interventions. METHODS: A comprehensive search was performed to identify records in MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Cochrane CENTRAL, AMED, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Two or more reviewers were included in every step of the screening process and the final selection of included studies. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist (Supplementary Material 1) was used to report the results, and the framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley was used as a guide throughout the scoping process. RESULTS: A total of 2121 records were identified through the literature search. After screening and full-text analysis, ten studies were included for final analysis. Most studies were conducted in Europe and followed a group format. Seven main themes were identified: Information about the diagnosis, treatment options, somatic health and ADHD, the insider perspective, ADHD and social life, coping and psychological skills, and ADHD and work. There was significant overlap in themes covered, but coverage of each theme varied. Themes deemed important by newer research, such as sexuality and gender-specific issues, were missing. Only one intervention involved patients in its development and implementation, and two interventions involved family members. There was variation in how psychoeducation was defined in the included studies, and the implications of this are discussed. CONCLUSION: The literature on psychoeducation for adult ADHD is not ready for any systematic effect estimation. Before such estimations are conducted, a shared understanding and definition of psychoeducation are needed. The involvement of end users in the development and delivery of interventions may aid reach this goal but results from this review indicate that such practices are rare.

Situation-specific outcomes (Home Situations Questionnaire) in a randomized controlled trial of individual versus group parent training for children with Hyperkinetic Disorder/Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

OBJECTIVES: Assess (a) the variability of behaviour problems in children with Hyperkinetic Disorder/Attention-DeficitHyperactivity Disorder (HKD/ADHD) across a range of family situations and (b) the degree to which behaviour in each situation can be modified through a cognitive behavioural parent training (CBPT). Furthermore (c), compare the effectiveness of training in two different formats and (d) test the proposition that group treatment benefits behaviour in a wider range of situations than individual treatment. METHOD: A registered multicentre randomized controlled trial comparing individual and group parent training to treatment-as-usual (TAU) for N = 237 children with HKD/ADHD. A German version of the Home Situations Questionnaire (HSQ) was employed to examine behaviour problems across a range of family situations, treatment-related changes post-treatment and at 6-month follow-up, while controlling for medication status. RESULTS: Parents reported considerable variance in severity of behaviour problems across situations. All groups improved with time, but individual and group CBPT led to significantly greater improvement than TAU in many family situations. Results present situation-specific treatment trajectories and demonstrate somewhat greater impact of individual compared with group training in certain situations post-training and 6 months later. CONCLUSIONS: CBPT clearly adds to TAU (with effect sizes in the small to moderate range depending on situation). Individual was somewhat more successful than group format (which did not succeed in a wider range of situations). HSQ situations reveal a differentiated picture of child behaviour and treatment results. Situation-specific assessment with an instrument like the HSQ offers promising perspectives that invite further development.

[Epidemiology, diagnostics and treatment of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in advanced age]. / Epidemiologie, Diagnostik und Therapie der Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-Hyperaktivitäts-Störung (ADHS) im höheren Lebensalter.

Current studies demonstrate a comparably high prevalence of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in advanced age. Older people affected by ADHD suffer from a severe burden of psychiatric and somatic comorbidities as well as substantial impairment of social functioning and subjective well-being. The diagnostic differentiation from neurodegenerative diseases is particularly difficult in this age group. This narrative review summarizes the current knowledge about the epidemiology of ADHD in advanced age and possible relationships between ADHD and the risk for neurodegeneration. Furthermore, recommendations for diagnostics and treatment options of ADHD in advanced age are presented.

ADHD prevalence in the psychiatric population.

OBJECTIVE: This article presents a systematic literature review of the prevalence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in the adult psychiatric population. METHODS: Three databases were searched using keywords relating to ADHD and psychiatric disorders. Fifteen studies published before May 2020 met inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Prevalence rates ranged from 6.9 to 38.75%. There was considerable heterogeneity with regards to the assessment methods of ADHD and comorbidities, the sampling as well as inclusion and exclusion of psychiatric comorbidities. Research concluded that ADHD is underdiagnosed in this population. Gender ratios also varied between 1.8:1 and 1:2.5 (male:female). CONCLUSIONS: All ADHD prevalence rates for the psychiatric population were considerably higher than the 2.8% estimated for the general adult population. ADHD should be kept in mind for psychiatric patients to ensure accurate diagnosis and optimal treatment options.Key PointsADHD is considerably underdiagnosed in the psychiatric populationGender ratios between 1.8:1 and 1:2.5 (male:female) reported in researchMore research is needed to ascertain if the use of ADHD screening instruments would improve the recognition and treatment of adult ADHD in the psychiatric population.

[Classification of Attention Deficit-/Hyperactivity Disorder in ICD-11]. / Klassifikation von Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörungen in der ICD-11.

Classification of Attention Deficit-/Hyperactivity Disorder in ICD-11 Abstract. The article gives a brief overview of the modifications to the classification of hyperkinetic disorders/attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders according to ICD-11. Fortunately, these modifications are based on DSM-5, both in terms of their designation and the internal differentiation of the diagnosis. That the ICD-10 relinquishes the combination diagnosis of hyperkinetic conduct disorder in favor of multiple diagnoses is also to be welcomed. On the one hand, the renunciation of an exact operationalization of the symptom criteria may help with the classification of borderline cases in clinical practice; on the other hand, it also makes it necessary to resort to the DSM-5 for the clarification of the individual symptoms of the disorder.

Dispensation of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications in patients receiving opioid agonist therapy; a national prospective cohort study in Norway from 2015 to 2017.

BACKGROUND: It is estimated that up to a third of patients on opioid agonist therapy (OAT) have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Treatment by ADHD medication, including a centrally acting stimulant (CAS) or atomoxetine is one of the essential approaches. This study evaluates the use of dispensed ADHD medications in the Norwegian OAT population in the period from 2015 to 2017. Types and doses of ADHD medications, co-dispensations of other potentially addictive drugs like benzodiazepines, z-hypnotics, gabapentinoids, and non-OAT opioids, as well as direct-acting antivirals (DAA) against hepatitis C infection, are investigated. METHODS: Information about all dispensed ADHD medication, OAT opioids, and the defined potentially addictive drugs were recorded from the Norwegian Prescription Database. Dispensation rates, the types, and the doses of dispensed ADHD medications were estimated by summarizing the number of dispensations, and the dispensed doses. Logistic regression analyses were employed to assess the associations between ADHD medication, and OAT opioid use, and dispensations of other potentially addictive drugs and DAAs against hepatitis C infection. RESULTS: A total of 9235 OAT patients were included. The proportion of patients who were dispensed ADHD medication increased from 3.5 to 4.6% throughout the study period. The three most dispensed CAS were short- and intermediate-acting methylphenidate (55%), lisdexamphetamine (24%), and dexamphetamine (17%) in 2017. Buprenorphine, rather than methadone, as OAT opioid (adjusted odds ratio: 1.6, CI: 1.2-2.1) was associated with being dispensed ADHD medication. Among patients who received CAS and OAT opioids each calendar year, the dispensed doses of methylphenidate increased from 63 mg/day in 2015 to 76 mg/day in 2017 (p = 0.01). Sixty percent of patients receiving ADHD medications were also dispensed other addictive drugs concomitantly in 2017. Similar results were found in 2015 and 2016. CONCLUSION: Co-prescription of ADHD medications was low among patients on OAT in Norway, considering a high prevalence of ADHD in this patient group. On the other hand, concurrent dispensations of multiple addictive drugs were common in this population. Understanding the underlying reasons for such prescribing is essential, and research on how to optimize ADHD medication of patients with ADHD receiving OAT is needed.

[Day care/inpatient psychiatric treatment of minors and adults with hyperkinetic disorder in German psychiatric hospitals : Basic conditions, diagnoses and comorbidities]. / (Teil-)stationäre Therapie von Voll- und Minderjährigen mit einer hyperkinetischen Störung in der deutschen Psychiatrie : Rahmenbedingungen, Diagnosevergabe und Komorbiditäten.

BACKGROUND: Hyperkinetic disorders (HKD, ICD-10 F90.­) have increasingly been the focus of research literature in recent years. Empirical studies analyzing the care situation in psychiatric clinics are so far primarily available for a few health insurances. This study analyzed a German sample from 2015 consisting of inpatient as well as day care psychiatric treatment cases from all statutory health insurances focusing on the care situation and differentiating between minor vs. adult patients with the main diagnosis HKD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was based on the treatment relevant indicators in psychiatry and psychosomatics (VIPP) database, which contains data according to §21 of the Hospital Remuneration Act (KHEntgG). A total of 896 treatment cases with the diagnosis of HKD from the year 2015, based on anonymized routine records from 41 psychiatric clinics, were analyzed. RESULTS: The basic conditions for inpatient/day care psychiatric treatment significantly differed between minor vs. adult patients. Minors travelled greater distances to the treatment site, received more therapy units and stayed longer in the psychiatric clinic than adults. Significant differences were also found between the subgroups concerning the main diagnoses according to ICD-10 coding as well as comorbid mental disorders. CONCLUSION: Due to greater distances from their residence to a psychiatric hospital for minors, extension of capacities with a focus on child and youth psychiatry seems to be a reasonable conclusion. Simultaneously, the intensity of treatment seems to be lower for adult patients, despite a greatly increased number of secondary diagnoses and thus anticipated psychological stress. Transition difficulties from child and youth psychiatry to adult psychiatry may be a possible explanation for this discrepancy.

Predictive utility of childhood diagnosis of ICD-10 hyperkinetic disorder: adult outcomes in the MTA and effect of comorbidity.

Diagnostic guidelines differ between DSM attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and ICD hyperkinetic disorder (HKD). Only 145 of 579 children age 7-9 in the Multimodal Treatment Study of ADHD (the MTA) with combined-type DSM-IV ADHD met criteria for ICD-10 HKD, because major internalizing comorbidities and more stringent symptom count/pervasiveness requirements excluded most. The 145 HKD had significantly better 14-month medication response than the rest. We explored whether HKD had greater adult symptom persistence and/or impairment than other ADHD. Multi-informant assessments were done for 16 years. We used the 12/14/16-year assessments, in young adulthood. The post-attrition 109 with baseline HKD had no greater adult persistence of ADHD symptoms/impairment than 367 without HKD, but had more cumulative stimulant use, more job losses, lower emotional lability, and fewer car crashes. However, those excluded for internalizing comorbidity but otherwise meeting HKD criteria had significantly more persistence. Only 6 of the 109 (5.5%) with baseline HKD met ICD-10 criteria for HKD in adulthood, compared to 25 of 367 (6.8%) without a childhood HKD diagnosis. Despite greater initial symptom severity, HKD had no worse 16-year young adult outcome than others, except for job losses, balanced by less emotional lability and fewer crashes. Comorbid internalizing disorder seems to have worse prognosis than initial severity/pervasiveness of ADHD symptoms.

Phosphodiesterase-10A Inverse Changes in Striatopallidal and Striatoentopeduncular Pathways of a Transgenic Mouse Model of DYT1 Dystonia.

We report that changes of phosphodiesterase-10A (PDE10A) can map widespread functional imbalance of basal ganglia circuits in a mouse model of DYT1 dystonia overexpressing mutant torsinA. PDE10A is a key enzyme in the catabolism of second messenger cAMP and cGMP, whose synthesis is stimulated by D1 receptors and inhibited by D2 receptors preferentially expressed in striatoentopeducuncular/substantia nigra or striatopallidal pathways, respectively. PDE10A was studied in control mice (NT) and in mice carrying human wild-type torsinA (hWT) or mutant torsinA (hMT). Quantitative analysis of PDE10A expression was assessed in different brain areas by rabbit anti-PDE10A antibody immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. PDE10A-dependent cAMP hydrolyzing activity and PDE10A mRNA were also assessed. Striatopallidal neurons were identified by rabbit anti-enkephalin antibody.In NT mice, PDE10A is equally expressed in medium spiny striatal neurons and in their projections to entopeduncular nucleus/substantia nigra and to external globus pallidus. In hMT mice, PDE10A content selectively increases in enkephalin-positive striatal neuronal bodies; moreover, PDE10A expression and activity in hMT mice, compared with NT mice, significantly increase in globus pallidus but decrease in entopeduncular nucleus/substantia nigra. Similar changes of PDE10A occur in hWT mice, but such changes are not always significant. However, PDE10A mRNA expression appears comparable among NT, hWT, and hMT mice.In DYT1 transgenic mice, the inverse changes of PDE10A in striatoentopeduncular and striatopallidal projections might result over time in an imbalance between direct and indirect pathways for properly focusing movement. The decrease of PDE10A in the striatoentopeduncular/nigral projections might lead to increased intensity and duration of D1-stimulated cAMP/cGMP signaling; conversely, the increase of PDE10A in the striatopallidal projections might lead to increased intensity and duration of D2-inhibited cAMP/cGMP signaling.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In DYT1 transgenic mouse model of dystonia, PDE10A, a key enzyme in cAMP and cGMP catabolism, is downregulated in striatal projections to entopeduncular nucleus/substantia nigra, preferentially expressing D1 receptors that stimulate cAMP/cGMP synthesis. Conversely, in DYT1 mice, PDE10A is upregulated in striatal projections to globus pallidus, preferentially expressing D2 receptors that inhibit cAMP/cGMP synthesis. The inverse changes to PDE10A in striatoentopeduncular/substantia nigra and striatopallidal pathways might tightly interact downstream to dopamine receptors, likely resulting over time to increased intensity and duration respectively of D1-stimulated and D2-inhibited cAMP/cGMP signals. Therefore, PDE10A changes in the DYT1 model of dystonia can upset the functional balance of basal ganglia circuits, affecting direct and indirect pathways simultaneously.

Maternal body mass index before pregnancy as a risk factor for ADHD and autism in children.

The risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may be influenced by environmental factors such as maternal obesity before pregnancy. Previous studies investigating those associations have found divergent results. We aim to investigate in a large birth cohort this association further in children with ADHD, ASD and comorbid ADHD and ASD. Our study population consisted of 81,892 mother-child pairs participating in the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC). Information about pre-pregnancy weight and height was collected in week 16 of pregnancy; the analysis was divided into groups based on BMI. Children with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD and/or ASD were identified in the Danish health registries at an average age of 13.3 years. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using time-to-event analysis. Compared to normal weight mothers, the risk of having a child with ADHD was significantly increased if the mother was overweight (HR = 1.28 [95% CI 1.15;1.48]), obese (HR = 1.47 [95% CI 1.26;1.71]) or severely obese (HR = 1.95 [95% CI 1.58;2.40]). The same pattern was seen for the combined ADHD and ASD group. Regarding ASD, an increased risk was observed in underweight (HR = 1.30 [95% CI 1.01;1.69]) and obese (HR = 1.39 [95% CI 1.11;1.75]) mothers. Subgroup analysis revealed that the association in the ADHD group could mostly be attributable to the hyperactive group. Maternal obesity before pregnancy is a risk factor for ADHD in children. Maternal obesity as well as underweight may also be associated with an increased risk for ASD.

[Attachment and Externalizing Behavior Problems in Primary School Children with ADHD]. / Bindungsrepräsentation und externalisierende Verhaltensauffälligkeiten von Grundschulkindern mit ADHS.

Attachment and Externalizing Behavior Problems in Primary School Children with ADHD When examining children with ADHD, attachment research does not usually differentiate between the different clinical pictures within the disorder. This study examines attachment and ADHD in children who display a simple or unspecified form of ADHD, in order to be able to draw specific conclusions about this particular group. Attachment, ADHD symptoms as well as externalizing behavior problems were assessed from 93 children aged five to nine years, 48 of whom had an ADHD diagnosis. The distributions of attachment representations between children with ADHD and those without ADHD differ greatly. In addition, externalizing behavior problems differ between attachment classifications. Attachment seems to be an important factor in the etiology of ADHD, however, ADHD as well as externalizing behavior problems as a global construct are too unspecific to determine the influence of attachment on the disorder. Subsequent studies should first focus on specific symptom patterns within the clinical picture whereas clinical practice should consider the parent-child relation an important factor in the development as well as the treatment of ADHD.

The risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children exposed to maternal smoking during pregnancy - a re-examination using a sibling design.

BACKGROUND: Conventional cohort studies have consistently shown that exposure to maternal smoking in pregnancy is associated with about twice the risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the offspring. However, recent studies using alternative designs to disentangle the effect of social and genetic confounders have suggested that confounding may account for the association. In this study we aimed to estimate the association by a sibling design. METHODS: We used a design with half and full siblings in a Danish national register-based cohort on all singletons born between January 1991 and December 2006 and followed until January 2011. Data were available for 90% (N = 968,665) of the singleton live births in the period. We used the combination of the International Classification of Diseases (10th version) diagnosis of hyperkinetic disorder (HKD) and ADHD medication to identify children. We used sibling-matched (conditional) Cox regression to control social and genetic confounding. RESULTS: Using conventional cohort analyses, we found the expected association between pregnancy smoking and offspring ADHD (adjusted HR 2.01, 95% CI 1.94-2.07). In the sibling analysis, however, we did not detect such a strong association (adjusted HR 1.07, 95% CI 0.94-1.22). There was no difference between results for half- and full sibling analyses. The link between pregnancy smoking and low birth weight remained robust in the sibling design (adjusted OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.33-2.12). CONCLUSIONS: We found no support for prenatal smoking as a strong causal factor in ADHD. Our findings suggest that the strong association found in most previous epidemiological studies is likely to be due to a strong link between maternal smoking and maternal ADHD genetics or shared family environment. Pregnant women should still be encouraged to stop smoking because of other risks, but we have no reason to believe that this would reduce the risk of ADHD in the offspring.

Case Report: Chorea as a Rare Manifestation of Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency.

The word "chorea" comes from the Latin word "choreus," which means dancing movement. Chorea is defined as a hyperkinetic movement disorder characterized by uncontrolled, unintended, jerky, brief, irregular, random movements involving the limbs or facial muscles. Here, we discuss the case of a 48-year-old male with hypothyroidism for two years, which is well-controlled with medication. He presented with behavioral disturbances for the past seven months and choreiform movements affecting all four limbs, his tongue, and his face for the past six months. Investigations revealed hyponatremia and low serum osmolality. An MRI of the brain showed the empty sella sign. Further investigations revealed low levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), prolactin, and testosterone. Considering the diagnosis of chorea with euvolemic hyponatremia due to secondary adrenal insufficiency, the patient was started on tetrabenazine, trihexyphenidyl, oral hydrocortisone, and gradual correction of sodium level. The patient's condition improved during the hospital stay, and he continues to do well in routine follow-ups.

Organophosphorus Pesticide Exposure at 17 Weeks' Gestation and Odds of Offspring Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Diagnosis in the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study.

Prenatal organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) are ubiquitous and have been linked to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. However, few studies have examined prenatal OPs in relation to diagnosed attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), with only two studies exploring this relationship in a population primarily exposed through diet. In this study, we used a nested case-control study to evaluate prenatal OP exposure and ADHD diagnosis in the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). For births that occurred between 2003 and 2008, ADHD diagnoses were obtained from linkage of MoBa participants with the Norwegian Patient Registry (N = 297), and a reference population was randomly selected from the eligible population (N = 552). Maternal urine samples were collected at 17 weeks' gestation and molar sums of diethyl phosphates (ΣDEP) and dimethyl phosphates metabolites (ΣDMP) were calculated. Multivariable adjusted logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between prenatal OP metabolite exposure and child ADHD diagnosis. Additionally, multiplicative effect measure modification (EMM) by child sex was assessed. In most cases, mothers in the second and third tertiles of ΣDMP and ΣDEP exposure had slightly lower odds of having a child with ADHD, although confidence intervals were wide and included the null. EMM by child sex was not observed for either ΣDMP or ΣDEP. In summary, we did not find evidence that OPs at 17 weeks' gestation increased the odds of ADHD in this nested case-control study of ADHD in MoBa, a population primarily experiencing dietary exposure.

ADHD stimulant medication misuse and considerations for current prescribing practice: a literature review.

BACKGROUND: Stimulant medications have been prescribed to effectively treat childhood Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) since the 1960's, with improved outcomes observed in the three core symptom domains. Over the course of these decades researchers and clinicians have debated the issue of negative outcomes with regard to later development of substance use disorders (SUD) for these children. AIMS: To chronicle the development of medical and scientific opinion on the subject of SUD outcomes in ADHD and to appraise most recently published research in this sphere. METHODS: A systematic search of the literature was conducted over 4 databases. Removal of duplicates, application of exclusion criteria and inclusion of publications identified through manual and citation-based search yielded 9 papers. RESULTS: Prescriptions for stimulant medications are increasing worldwide and in tandem the prevalence of stimulant misuse. Much research focuses on non-medical stimulant misuse as a study aid; however, they are also used as recreational drugs with action on dopaminergic neurotransmitter pathways implicated in addiction disorders. Considering the risks and benefits of stimulant prescribing on later SUD development research in recent decades has produced inconsistent results. Current research supports the hypothesis of improved SUD outcomes for young people treated early and intensely, with poorer outcomes for those with less robust treatment histories. CONCLUSIONS: Consideration of the impact that variable treatment trajectories may have on the risk of later SUD development is recommended, with further research potentially leading to the development of different management pathways based on an individual's multivariate treatment profile.

Hyperkinetic disorder in a community service for people with intellectual disability.

BACKGROUND: There appears to be a higher rate of prevalence of hyperkinetic disorder in the intellectual disability (ID) population, although there is a large variability in rates in previous studies. Hyperkinetic disorder can be a challenge to diagnose in a population with ID and can present a barrier to the development of the activities of daily living in an already vulnerable population. OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to examine the point prevalence of hyperkinetic disorder in the ID population in a community ID service and also to determine the prevalence of hyperkinetic disorder based on the level of ID. METHODS: A cross-sectional review of the Online Information Service 'OLIS' database was undertaken to establish the total number of patients with ID and those with comorbid hyperkinetic disorder. The overall point prevalence and prevalence based on the level of ID was calculated from the collected data. RESULTS: The point prevalence of hyperkinetic disorder in the population with ID was similar to that found in studies in the general population at 3.1% in adults and 32.6% in children. When divided by the level of disability, the calculated point prevalence in both adults and children was highest in the population with mild ID and decreased as the level of disability increased. CONCLUSION: This report contributes to previous research establishing the rates of hyperkinetic disorder in an ID population and establishes the point prevalence of hyperkinetic disorder in individuals diagnosed with ID in a clinical sample.

Clinical guidance on pharmacotherapy for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for people with intellectual disability.

INTRODUCTION: ADHD causes significant distress and functional impairment in multiple domains of daily life. Therefore, diagnosis and treatment are important to improve the quality of life of people. The pharmacotherapy for ADHD is well established but needs systematic evaluation in Intellectual Disability (ID) populations. AREAS COVERED: This paper reviews the ADHD pharmacological treatment in people with ID using the PRISMA guidance for scoping reviews to help identify the nature and strength of evidence. EXPERT OPINION: In the last 20 years, seven randomized controlled trials have evaluated pharmacotherapies for ADHD in people with ID; five looking at methylphenidate. Generally, studies were underpowered; all but two had less than 25 participants. Of the two larger trials one was single blinded and therefore open to bias. Only two used a parallel-group method, the remainder were mostly short crossover trials; not ideal when measuring behavioral and psychological parameters which are long standing. The remaining evidence is made up of observational studies. Methylphenidate and atomoxetine, particularly at higher doses, have shown clear benefits in people with ID. Most people with ID tolerated ADHD medications well. Benefits were seen in behavioral and/or cognitive domains. The evidence base is limited, though promising, for dexamfetamine, clonidine, and guanfacine.

[Cognitive deficit in children with hyperkinetic disorder]. / Kognitivnyi defitsit u detei s giperkineticheskim rasstroistvom.

The review presents current data on the nature of cognitive deficit in children with hyperkinetic disorder, and possible pathophysiological mechanisms of the disease. Considering possible neurobiological components of hyperkinetic disorder, attention is given to pathological functional connections underlying specific clinical manifestations of the disease.

Early-life exposure to persistent organic pollutants (OCPs, PBDEs, PCBs, PFASs) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A multi-pollutant analysis of a Norwegian birth cohort.

BACKGROUND: Numerous ubiquitous environmental chemicals are established or suspected neurotoxicants, and infants are exposed to a mixture of these during the critical period of brain maturation. However, evidence for associations with the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is sparse. We investigated early-life chemical exposures in relation to ADHD. METHODS: We used a birth cohort of 2606 Norwegian mother-child pairs enrolled 2002-2009 (HUMIS), and studied a subset of 1199 pairs oversampled for child neurodevelopmental outcomes. Concentrations of 27 persistent organic pollutants (14 polychlorinated biphenyls, 5 organochlorine pesticides, 6 brominated flame retardants, and 2 perfluoroalkyl substances) were measured in breast milk, reflecting the child's early-life exposures. We estimated postnatal exposures in the first 2 years of life using a pharmacokinetic model. Fifty-five children had a clinical diagnosis of ADHD (hyperkinetic disorder) by 2016, at a median age of 13 years. We used elastic net penalized logistic regression models to identify associations while adjusting for co-exposure confounding, and subsequently used multivariable logistic regression models to obtain effect estimates for the selected exposures. RESULTS: Breast milk concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and ß­hexachlorocyclohexane (ß-HCH) were associated with increased odds of ADHD: odds ratio (OR) = 1.77, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16, 2.72 and OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.22, 2.53, per interquartile range increase in ln-transformed concentrations, respectively. Stronger associations were observed among girls than boys for PFOS (pinteraction = 0.025). p,p'­Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p'-DDT) levels were associated with lower odds of ADHD (OR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.42, 0.97). Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) had a non-linear association with ADHD, with increasing risk in the low-level exposure range that switched to a decreasing risk at concentrations above 8 ng/g lipid. Postnatal exposures showed similar results, whereas effect estimates for other chemicals were weaker and imprecise. CONCLUSIONS: In a multi-pollutant analysis of four classes of chemicals, early-life exposure to ß-HCH and PFOS was associated with increased risk of ADHD, with suggestion of sex-specific effects for PFOS. The unexpected inverse associations between p,p'-DDT and higher HCB levels and ADHD could be due to live birth bias; alternatively, results may be due to chance findings.

Five Years On: Public Sector Service Use Related to Mental Health in Young People with ADHD or Hyperkinetic Disorder Five Years After Diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about ongoing service use among young people with ADHD, but this information is important to the development of services to support these young people. METHODS: A cohort of young people with ADHD or hyperkinetic disorder (n = 115) was followed up five to seven years after diagnosis. Details are presented of their use of public sector services over the 12 months preceding reassessment, compared to young people with ADHD from a large epidemiological study. RESULTS: Most children remained in contact with CAMHS, with high rates of contact with schools, educational professionals and the criminal justice system. Nearly all had taken medication at some point, while many still were using it. There were low reported rates of psychological and group interventions within the last twelve months, but this does not rule out earlier access to such treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Children with ADHD utilise long-term support from public sector services, and cross agency strategies or clinics may help to optimise functioning.