Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common mental health disorder treated by pediatricians.1 Some pediatricians may not have the training, clinical experience, or time to adequately evaluate and treat children with ADHD—and most may feel their skills are insufficient in children with medication treatment resistance, comorbid psychiatric illnesses, or complex family dynamics. More »

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most widely diagnosed disorders: an estimated 8% to 12% of children are affected worldwide. Although many studies about treatment options have been published, the genetic components that underlie the disorder are still being discovered. A special issue of the American Journal of Medical Genetics, Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics, highlights recent research and includes results from the first genome-wide study of patients with ADHD.... More »

Attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most widely diagnosed disorders: an estimated 8% to 12% of children are affected worldwide. Although many studies about treatment options have been published, we are still discovering the genetic components that underlie the disorder. A special issue of the American Journal of Medical Genetics, Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics, highlights recent research and includes results from the first genome-wide study of patients with ADHD.... More »

Youths aged 6 to 16 years with any subtype of ADHD participated in the study. Comorbid bipolar disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, psychotic illness, anxiety disorders, and tic disorders were exclusionary criteria. Patients with other comorbid psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder, were allowed to participate if ADHD was the primary diagnosis. More »

In the past 15 years, there has been an increasing awareness of the syndromal persistence of attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) into adulthood. More »

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the most common diagnosis in child psychiatry, appears to be more challenging to diagnose and treat when there is a comorbid depressive disorder. In community samples, estimates of the prevalence of depression among patients with ADHD range from 13% to 27%, while clinical sample reports have run as high as 60%. More »

Two recent studies present clinical evidence that the use of stimulants to treat boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) does not increase their risk of later substance use disorders. This evidence provides clinicians and families with much needed reassurance. More »

In the era of genomics, psychiatry—like all areas of medicine—will likely undergo radical change. As genetic risk factors are uncovered and the dynamic nature of gene expression is elucidated, novel approaches to prevention will diminish or preempt diagnosis and treatment for many psychiatric and neurobehavioral disorders. While we are in the infant stage of this change, it is perhaps not too early to begin to investigate how such a reorientation will influence our thinking about mental... More »

Although there is evidence in the research literature from as far back as 40 years showing that the symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often persist into adulthood, it has been only in the past decade or so that integrative treatment models designed specifically for adult ADHD have been developed. More »