Children born a little early -- before 39 weeks of pregnancy -- are more likely to have symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), new research suggests.

While birth before 37 weeks' gestation has known links to hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention, this study inve...

Children with ADHD may have less flexibility in the brain circuitry that allows for seamless "multitasking," a new study suggests.

Research has shown that kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder often have more difficulty with so-called cognitive flexibility than their peers wi...

Preterm infants who are breastfed do better in school and are less likely to develop attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), says a new study.

Preemies have a higher risk of doing poorly in math, reading and other academic skills, previous studies have shown. They're also at greater risk for ADHD.

But starting them off with lots of breast milk appears to blunt this risk an...

Could ADHD drugs also treat degenerative brain disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease?

British researchers say there is good evidence that some medications used for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - known as noradrenergic drugs - might also help treat key aspects of Alzheimer's.

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Children whose mothers had rising levels of depression during pregnancy appear to have an increased risk of behavioral problems, researchers say.

"Our findings suggest that increases in mother's symptoms of depression from preconception to postpartum contribute to children's lower attention and behavioral control, which can raise the risk of problems across the life span," said study lead...

Many people who get a diagnosis for one mental illness may find they have additional psychiatric conditions, and new genetic research offers an explanation why.

A number of mental illnesses share genetic similarities, researchers found. This discovery helps explain why multiple conditions are common among people with psychiatric disorders, the investigators pointed out in a new study.

Two in five adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder say their mental health is excellent, which is significantly lower than people without the disorder, but still an encouraging finding, according to the authors of a new study.

Their analysis of a Canadian government mental health surve...

Smoking during pregnancy does not directly cause attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, according to a new paper that challenges a widely held belief.

"Our systematic review shows that there is no causal effect between maternal prenatal smoking and offspring ADHD diagnosis," said lead...

Chasing light shimmers reflected onto a wall. Obsessive licking or chewing. Compulsive barking and whining. Pacing or tail chasing.

Nearly one in three pet dogs suffer from these ADHD-like repetitive behaviors - and researchers now suspect that an animal's home life could be t...

Taken correctly, prescription drugs used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can help teens and young adults navigate their condition, but a new study finds many are dying from overdosing on these medications.

In 2019,

Young people with autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have a higher risk of dying early from a range of causes, a new research review suggests.

Researchers found that before middle-age, people with autism face higher-than-average rates of death from both "natural" causes, like heart disease, and "unnatural" ones, including accidents and suicide.

Meanwhile, unna...

Living through the pandemic has not been easy for kids, but it has really thrown off children who have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), new research warns.

Though they were not more likely to catch COVID-19, they were more likely to experience symptoms if they were infected. But the damage did not stop there: These children were also more likely to have trouble sleeping, f...

Can eating a highly restrictive "few-foods diet" ease the classic symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in kids?

New research suggests that short-term nutritional intervention, which tests whether certain foods are a trigger for ADHD symptoms through the process of elimination, might make a diff...

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is not just a childhood disorder, and new research shows that adults with ADHD are four times more likely to have anxiety disorder.

"These findings underline how vulnerable adults with ADHD are to generalized anxiety disorders," said study author Esme Fuller-Thomson. She is a professor at the University of Toronto's Factor-Inwentash Faculty ...

A new mental health media platform meant to connect people with educational resources and reduce the stigma around mental illness is planned by pop star Selena Gomez and her partners.

Wondermind is set to launch in February 2022 and will include mental health experts sharing their expertise, and daily exercises that people can do to strengthen their mental health, CNN reported.

Marijuana use in pregnancy may increase your child's risk for stress and anxiety, a new study suggests.

Although some moms-to-be use pot hoping to relieve morning sickness and anxiety, they should know it may cause genetic changes in the uterus that result in children becoming anxious, aggressive and hyperactive, researchers say.

"People are saying that cannabis is benign, and take ...

ADHD medications are increasingly being prescribed to older adults, and they may cause a short-term spike in the risk of heart attack, stroke and arrhythmias, a large new study suggests.

Stimulant medications, such as Ritalin, Concerta and Adderall, are commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But they are also increasingly being prescribed "off-label" to ol...

A significantly increased risk of self-harm and suicide among people with autism shows the need for programs to reduce that risk, researchers say.

For their study, the investigators analyzed 31 studies on the link between autism and self-harm/suicide that were posted to five databases between 1999 and 2021. Overall, children and adults with autism had a threefold increased risk of self-ha...

Researchers have created a six-stage process to help families of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) deal with the disorder.

"This framework is family-centered, focused on breaking down the barriers that families face from before diagnosis to preparing children with ADHD for the future," said Dr. Andrea Spencer, director of the Reach for ADHD Research Program at ...

Preschoolers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) rarely receive the gold-standard treatment recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for their condition, a new study reports.

The AAP recommends a behavioral therapy technique called "parent training in behavior management," or PTBM, as first-line treatment for ADHD kids ages 4 and 5.

But only 1 of eve...

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) appears to be somehow linked to risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, a new multigenerational study has found.

Parents and grandparents of people with ADHD have a higher risk of Alzheimer's and dementia than people with no ADHD in their family, Swedish researchers said.

Specifically, parents of an ADHD child have a 34% higher risk ...

Fully half of all young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may also battle alcohol or drug abuse.

And folks with ADHD who have a history of depression or anxiety are particularly vulnerable to substance abuse problems, a new study showed.

"People with ADHD may be self-medicating with drugs or alcohol to keep their depression under control, and of course, th...

Struggling with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a child is heart-breaking enough, but now new research confirms what many have long suspected: These patients will often continue to be plagued by ADHD symptoms as adults.

Only about one in 10 kids with the disorder are likely to have a full and lasting remission of their symptoms, according to new data gleaned from tracki...

Prescriptions for U.S. children fell by about one-quarter during the COVID-19 pandemic, with prescriptions for antibiotics alone plunging by more than 50%, a new study finds.

The findings are a "national picture of prescription drug dispensing to children before and during the pandemic. It will be important to monitor whether the reductions we demonstrate are temporary or sustained," said...

While people with ADHD experience the inattention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity that are hallmarks of the disorder, they also may need to be aware of their higher risk for many physical diseases.

New research has identified higher risks in nervous system, respiratory, musculoskeletal and metabolic diseases among individuals who have ADHD.

"Identifying co-occurring physical diseas...

ADHD patients often complain of feeling spacey, slow-moving and lethargic -- symptoms that don't on their face seem to jibe with hyperactivity.

That's because these symptoms come from what appears to be a separate psychiatric disorder that often coincides with ADHD, called sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT).

Now, a new clinical trial has shown that a stimulant drug long used to treat AD...

ADHD medications might help lessen the risk of suicide in children with serious behavioral issues, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that medications like Ritalin and Adderall, commonly prescribed for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), were linked to a lower risk of suicidal behavior among 9- and 10-year-olds with substantial "externalizing" symptoms.

That includ...

Parents of preschoolers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be advised to give their child medication to help them concentrate, sit still and/or control impulsive behaviors.

A new study comparing two classes of medications might help them arrive at a decision.

While stimulants are often first in line, the research shows that another class of ADHD drugs known as ...