VOLUME 8, NO.7 JULY 24, 2003

NJ ADD/AD/HD ADULT NEWSLETTER

ADD ADULT SELF HELP SUPPORT GROUP

FOR ADD/ADHD ADULTS

AND THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS

MEETING: The next meeting of the ADD adult self help support group will be on July 24, 2003 at 7:30 pm at Monmouth Medical Center, Room 214 Stanley, Long Branch, NJ. Go to the reception desk in the main lobby and get directions. The topic will be: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS!!!

RESEARCH: In a study by R.Barkley, Ph.D. etal., What contributes to the Elevated Driving Risks in ADHD Adults, The ADHD Report, 2003, 11(2): 1-5, it was found that ADHD drivers were predisposed to greater traffic citations, vehicle crashes, license suspensions and revocations than the general population. The ADHD drivers were more governed by prior experience or habit than by the current situation. Driving knowledge (driving laws and rules of the road) were lower in the ADHD group. Computerized continuous performance tests were able to predict some of the problems of inattention. In general inattention, impulsiveness, risk taking, and deficits in rule following under pressure were felt to be the most important factors. Severity of ADHD was the best predictor of problems in driving. Stimulant medications were deemed to hold the greatest promise for improving driving performance in the ADHD population.

COMMENTS: Other treatments for ADHD need to be evaluated before we can say that medications hold the best promise for improving ADHD driving. There have been no studies evaluating the effects of other treatments on ADHD driving.

RESEARCH: In a study by T.Fuchs etal., Neurofeedback Treatment for ADHD in Children: A Comparison with Methylphenidate (Ritalin), Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 2003, 28(1): 1-12, it was reported that both neurofeedback and methylphenidate were associated with improvements in a computerized test of attention, impulsivity, response time, and variability of response (TOVA test), on speed plus accuracy of an Attention Endurance Test, and on the IOWA-Conners Behavioral Rating Scale of both teachers and parents. The conclusion was that neurofeedback was an effective treatment for improving the ADD behaviors of ADHD children whose parents favored a nonpharmacological treatment for their ADHD.

COMMENTS: This study is one of many now appearing in the research literature suggesting that neurofeedback for ADHD has significant promise for improving ADHD. Unlike the pharmaceutical “drug” studies supporting medications for ADHD, these studies have very little financial support and are far more difficult to conduct. The above study had many controls built into the design, which makes it interesting. The fact that nearly all measures of improvement were equal in the two groups (medication and neurofeedback), suggests there may be another alternative to medication for ADHD treatment.

Two other ADHD treatment strategies that need scientifically sound research investigation include dietary changes and exercise. Last month we reviewed some of the research on diet and the flaws of past research on dietary influences. Another area that remains mostly unexplored is the effect of aerobic exercise on the management of ADHD. It has been my experience that ADDers frequently describe periods of their lives when their ADHD symptoms were managed or non-existent; the periods were almost always associated with times when they were engaged daily in aerobic exercise. Unfortunately the money to fund research in this area appears non-existent. What company will profit from the research? What companies might be financially hurt by positive findings? I once designed such a study, but could not fund the $10,000 to $20,000 bill that would enable such a study to be done.

Based upon my clinical findings I have suggested to many that they consider dietary and exercise changes; those who have followed the advice have uniformly benefited.

Peace!!! Bob

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