Tuesday, March 29, 2011

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

an @gamma counter retweet of @brainpicker via twitter from the lancet via grist

"Dr. Pessler's study is the first to conclusively say that diet is implicated in ADHD. In the NPR interview, Dr. Pessler did not mince words, "Food is the main cause of ADHD," she said adding, "After the diet, they were just normal children with normal behavior. They were no longer more easily distracted, they were no more forgetful, there were no more temper-tantrums." The study found that in 64 percent of children with ADHD, the symptoms were caused by food. "It's a hypersensitivity reaction to food," Pessler said."

1 comment:

Tami said...

This is quite an interesting article. I think kids nowadays are over-medicated and over-diagnosed with ADHD. However, the study didn't really talk about those who have ADD (without the hyperactivity). It did briefly mention that "they were no longer more easily distracted, they were no more forgetful," but is that a result of no more hyperactivity or because the ADD has been "cured"? What about ability to concentrate? I look forward to more research that shows not just observed effects of the controlled diet, but also scientific test results to prove if it's actually changing brain chemistry and/or function. I must say though, this study is a step in the right direction.