Roundup of the latest ADHD research

Hashtags related to ADHD are generating billions of views on TikTok, contributing to greater awareness and diagnosis of the condition. With increased diagnoses and interest in ADHD and other neurodivergent conditions, the scientific community is constantly working to enhance our understanding of this life-long disorder, providing us with fresh insights, new therapeutic approaches, and hope for individuals and families living with ADHD.

Here’s five new research papers which caught our attention:

1. ADHD medication and pregnancy

For women with ADHD who want to fall pregnant, and for pregnant women with ADHD who are concerned about continuing their ADHD medication, rest assured. A Danish [study] examined the long-term effects of ADHD medication use during pregnancy on the offspring’s neurodevelopmental and growth outcomes. The study included over a million children from 1998 to 2015 in Denmark, comparing children of mothers who continued ADHD medication (methylphenidate, amphetamine, dexamphetamine, lisdexamphetamine, modafinil, atomoxetine, clonidine) during pregnancy and those who discontinued it before pregnancy. The study found that neurodevelopment and growth in offspring do not differ based on antenatal exposure to ADHD medication, which means that there is no increased risk for developmental disorders.

2. Sleep and procedural memory

This research focused on how sleep helps people with ADHD to consolidate procedural memories, or rather how they remember how to do things. (Procedural memory or implicit memory is a type of long-term memory involved in the performance of different actions and skills.) The results show that people with ADHD don’t get the same memory boost from sleep as others, even though they can learn well at first. This is specific to sleep. The study suggests that the inability to fully automate simple routines (consolidated during normal sleep) could contribute to executive function deficits, or could increase the load on attentional resources, making it harder for people with ADHD to do simple tasks without paying attention.

3. A new therapeutic approach for depression

A Korean study tested music therapy for depressed and stressed kids with ADHD, and compared it to the control group that only got standard care. The music therapy had two parts: making music and listening to music. They did this for 50 minutes, twice a week, for three months. They measured how much serotonin and cortisol they had, their blood pressure and heart rate, and their mood. The results showed that the music therapy group had increased serotonin secretion and decreased cortisol expression, blood pressure, and heart rate – showing positive effects on both neurophysiological and psychological aspects in children and adolescents with ADHD. The criteria for the music was Motivating, Relaxing, and M + R, and included music that Korean kids liked, such as pop without lyrics, traditional Korean music, and New Age.

4. Psychosocial adversity and ADHD and autism

Having a hard life at an early age has been shown to be a risk factor for ADHD. Researchers examined the impact of early exposure to psychosocial adversity on the risk of ADHD and autism, which often co-occur. They studied more than 1.8 million people from Sweden who were born between 1990 and 2009, who were followed from the age of 3 for an average time of 13.8 years. Their index was based on seven factors of psychosocial adversity – bereavement, divorce, low education, financial problems, parental psychiatric history, parental conviction for violent crime, and large family size. They found a relationship between exposure to psychosocial adversity and ADHD, but not for autism. These associations are partly due to unmeasured family-related factors.

5. Eye tracking as a feasible option for ADHD screening

While there has been discussion on how eye movement could help diagnose and treat ADHD, this study indicates that eye-tracking during continuous performance tests (CPTs) can improve the identification and classification of children with ADHD by uncovering reductions in gaze fixation and central gaze, together with increases in gaze variability. These findings suggest that eye-tracking could be a feasible option for screening and testing patients with ADHD. As ADHD research expands beyond childhood, more research is needed to understand the unique challenges and treatment approaches required for people living with ADHD, so that they are empowered to reach their full potential.

References

1. Ballan, R., Durrant, S.J., Stickgold, R. et al. A failure of sleep-dependent consolidation of visuoperceptual procedural learning in young adults with ADHD. Transl Psychiatry 12, 499 (2022).
2. Bang Madsen, K., Robakis, T.K., Liu, X. et al. In utero exposure to ADHD medication and long-term offspring outcomes. Mol Psychiatry 28, 1739–1746. (2023).
3. Cherry, K. (2023). Procedural Memory: Definition, Examples, and How It Works. Very Well Mind [Online]. Accessed on 26 September 2023.
4. Kanina, A., Larsson, H., Sjölander, A. et al. Association between cumulative psychosocial adversity in the family and ADHD and autism: a family-based cohort study. Transl Psychiatry 13, 282 (2023).
5. Lane, S.N. (2023). Teens Are Diagnosing Themselves With Autism, ADHD. Health News [Online]. Accessed on 26 September 2023.
6. Lee, D.Y., Shin, Y., Park, R.W. et al. Use of eye tracking to improve the identification of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children. Sci Rep 13, 14469 (2023).
7. Park, JI., Lee, IH., Lee, SJ. et al. Effects of music therapy as an alternative treatment on depression in children and adolescents with ADHD by activating serotonin and improving stress coping ability. BMC Complement Med Ther 23, 73. (2023).