scholarly journals Use of Non-Pharmacological Supplementations in Children and Adolescents with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Critical Review

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1573
Author(s):  
Eleonora Rosi ◽  
Silvia Grazioli ◽  
Filippo Maria Villa ◽  
Maddalena Mauri ◽  
Erica Gazzola ◽  
...  

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children and adolescents, with environmental and biological causal influences. Pharmacological medication is the first choice in ADHD treatment; recently, many studies have concentrated on dietary supplementation approaches to address nutritional deficiencies, to which part of non-responses to medications have been imputed. This review aims to evaluate the efficacy of non-pharmacological supplementations in children or adolescents with ADHD. We reviewed 42 randomized controlled trials comprised of the following supplementation categories: polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), peptides and amino acids derivatives, single micronutrients, micronutrients mix, plant extracts and herbal supplementations, and probiotics. The reviewed studies applied heterogeneous methodologies, thus making it arduous to depict a systematic overview. No clear effect on single cognitive, affective, or behavioral domain was found for any supplementation category. Studies on PUFAs and micronutrients found symptomatology improvements. Peptides and amino acids derivatives, plant extracts, herbal supplementation, and probiotics represent innovative research fields and preliminary results may be promising. In conclusion, such findings, if confirmed through future research, should represent evidence for the efficacy of dietary supplementation as a support to standard pharmacological and psychological therapies in children and adolescents with ADHD.

2002 ◽  
Vol 6 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 89-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Greenhill ◽  
D. H. Beyer ◽  
J. Finkleson ◽  
D. Shaffer ◽  
J. Biederman ◽  
...  

Objective: To review published algorithms for guiding the use of methylphenidate (MPH) in the treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents. Methods: A consensus roundtable of 12 experts was convened to review the evidence for the safety and efficacy of MPH in the treatment of ADHD, as well as the published algorithms and practice guidelines for using MPH. The experts reviewed the algorithms for practicality and acceptability by clinicians. Results: Algorithms that included MPH commonly selected it as the initial medication to be employed in the treatment of children with ADHD. Factors involved included its high efficacy, good safety record, and the ubiquitous nature of its appearance in the ADHD treatment literature. Conclusions: MPH should be considered as the first medication to be used in a treatment algorithm for children and adolescents with ADHD.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanni Liu ◽  
Gregory L. Hanna ◽  
Barbara S. Hanna ◽  
Haley E. Rough ◽  
Paul D. Arnold ◽  
...  

The pathophysiology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) involves deficits in performance monitoring and adaptive adjustments. Yet, the developmental trajectory and underlying neural correlates of performance monitoring deficits in youth with ADHD remain poorly understood. To address the gap, this study recruited 77 children and adolescents with ADHD and 77 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC), ages 8–18 years, who performed an arrow flanker task during electroencephalogram recording. Compared to HC, participants with ADHD responded more slowly and showed larger reaction time variability (RTV) and reduced post-error slowing; they also exhibited reduced error-related negativity (ERN) and error positivity effects, and reduced N2 and P3 congruency effects. Age effects were observed across groups: with increasing age, participants responded faster, with less variability, and with increased post-error slowing. They also exhibited increased ERN effects and increased N2 and P3 congruency effects. Increased RTV and reduced P3 amplitude in incongruent trials were associated with increased ADHD Problems Scale scores on the Child Behavior Checklist across groups. The altered behavioral and ERP responses in ADHD are consistent with the pattern associated with younger age across groups. Further research with a longitudinal design may determine specific aspects of developmental alteration and deficits in ADHD during performance monitoring.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document