Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Gaia on 11/12/2006 11:27:44

Title: Many adults with psychiatric disorders may also have undiagnosed ADHD
Post by: Gaia on 11/12/2006 11:27:44
Shire plc announced today (28 Oct 2006) that many adults with a depressive disorder, Bipolar Disorder (BPD), or an anxiety disorder may also have undiagnosed Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), according to a longitudinal retrospective medical claims analysis presented today (28 Oct 2006) at a major medical meeting of child and adolescent psychiatrists.

more: http://www.rxpgnews.com/attention-deficit-hyepractivity-disorder/Many_adults_with_psychiatric_disorders_may_also_ha_5105_5105.shtml
Title: Re: Many adults with psychiatric disorders may also have undiagnosed ADHD
Post by: iko on 11/12/2006 19:04:07
Let me give my usual codtribution to this topic.
Rough quick search through PubMed database:
ADHD: 11181 citations
ADHD and omega-3: 15 cit.
I chose 2 recent ones for you
To open the discussion.
(I'm afraid I'm not your expert)

ikod



Omega-3 fatty acids in ADHD and related neurodevelopmental disorders.

Richardson AJ.
Dept.Physiology, Human Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, UK.

Omega-3 fatty acids are dietary essentials, and are critical to brain development and function. Increasing evidence suggests that a relative lack of omega-3 may contribute to many psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. This review focuses on the possible role of omega-3 in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and related childhood developmental disorders, evaluating the existing evidence from both research and clinical perspectives. Theory and experimental evidence support a role for omega-3 in ADHD, dyslexia, developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and autism. Results from controlled treatment trials are mixed, but the few studies in this area have involved different populations and treatment formulations. Dietary supplementation with fish oils (providing EPA and DHA) appears to alleviate ADHD-related symptoms in at least some children, and one study of DCD children also found benefits for academic achievement. Larger trials are now needed to confirm these findings, and to establish the specificity and durability of any treatment effects as well as optimal formulations and dosages. Omega-3 is not supported by current evidence as a primary treatment for ADHD or related conditions, but further research in this area is clearly warranted. Given their relative safety and general health benefits, omega-3 fatty acids offer a promising complementary approach to standard treatments.

Int Rev Psychiatry. 2006 Apr;18(2):155-72. Review.






Omega-3 fatty acid status in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Antalis CJ, Stevens LJ, Campbell M, Pazdro R, Ericson K, Burgess JR.
Department of Foods and Nutrition, West Lafayette IN 47909-2059, USA.

Lower levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, in blood have repeatedly been associated with a variety of behavioral disorders including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The exact nature of this relationship is not yet clear. We have studied children with ADHD who exhibited skin and thirst symptoms classically associated with essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency, altered plasma and red blood cell fatty acid profiles, and dietary intake patterns that do not differ significantly from controls. This led us to focus on a potential metabolic insufficiency as the cause for the altered fatty acid phenotype. Here we review previous work and present new data expanding our observations into the young adult population. The frequency of thirst and skin symptoms was greater in newly diagnosed individuals with ADHD (n = 35) versus control individuals without behavioral problems (n = 112) drawn from the Purdue student population. A follow up case-control study with participants willing to provide a blood sample, a urine sample, a questionnaire about their general health, and dietary intake records was conducted with balancing based on gender, age, body mass index, smoking and ethnicity. A number of biochemical measures were analyzed including status markers for several nutrients and antioxidants, markers of oxidative stress, inflammation markers, and fatty acid profiles in the blood. The proportion of omega-3 fatty acids was found to be significantly lower in plasma phospholipids and erythrocytes in the ADHD group versus controls whereas saturated fatty acid proportions were higher. Intake of saturated fat was 30% higher in the ADHD group, but intake of all other nutrients was not different. Surprisingly, no evidence of elevated oxidative stress was found based on analysis of blood and urine samples. Indeed, serum ferritin, magnesium, and ascorbate concentrations were higher in the ADHD group, but iron, zinc, and vitamin B6 were not different. Our brief survey of biochemical and nutritional parameters did not give us any insight into the etiology of lower omega-3 fatty acids, but considering the consistency of the observation in multiple ADHD populations continued research in this field is encouraged.

Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2006 Oct-Nov;75(4-5):299-308. Epub 2006 Sep 8





...Hey, I just found this in the "Garlic"
   topic, GuestBook of this Forum!


...
A double-sided personality? Schizophrenia? Bipolar disorder?
Who knows...

...do you like seefood?  [;D] [:o)]

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.astigiano.com%2Fimages%2Fricette%2Fbagnacaoda.gif&hash=e2085ac74e158443437a0bbaa2891c5b)  (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.esselunga.it%2Fimg_repository%2FIdea%2520in%2520piu%2FOlio%2Faglio_pag.jpg&hash=91416925cd3ecf8edd225f1c404c1d4e)   (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flmnh.ufl.edu%2Ffish%2FGallery%2FDescript%2FBluefinTuna%2Fanchovies.JPG&hash=42cfee6190b607720d9a59fd149b3b03)
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/BluefinTuna/anchovies.JPG

http://www.jerrycott.com/IntegrativePsychiatry.html
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjerrycott.com%2Fuser%2FFishBP53.jpg&hash=8df556d4af36f90659a721ce2d19bff2)
http://jerrycott.com/user/FishBP53.jpg

Some time ago I read that those peculiar omega-3 so good for our brain (EPA & DHA) we get from sea creatures, mainly blue-fish, seem to be made by the ocean plankton itself: we and those fishlets are not able to synthesize them.  Those special unsaturated fatty acids are sort of vitamins for all of us and come directly from where life originated million years ago on this planet...
Our survival seems to be inevitably bound to the sea and the sunshine.


Bikod

Title: Re: Many adults with psychiatric disorders may also have undiagnosed ADHD
Post by: Gaia on 11/12/2006 20:03:52
I posted this up because I thought the similarities between mania and ADHD interesting, also the lack of concentration with depression, and mania too I suppose.
Title: Re: Many adults with psychiatric disorders may also have undiagnosed ADHD
Post by: iko on 11/12/2006 23:29:01
Hi Gaia, [:)] Gaia means 'happy' in italian!

It wouldn't be the first time in history of Medicine (Psychiatry in this case) that a disease caused by the very same thing is classified in totally different separated forms or syndromes. Because people are different and have different responses to the same 'agent' or causative factor.
An example for all are coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiforme, the first one affecting the gut, the second one the skin.
Both are caused by gluten ingestion in predisposed individuals.
It took years to recognize that d.herpetiforme was caused by a food intolerance.
It had to be difficult and tricky.
Other times it takes ages.

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.uwosh.edu%2Fscience_outreach%2Fkid%2520microscope.jpg&hash=4e8c1ca73b3083ac084ddfb3163dd6ca)
http://www.uwosh.edu/science_outreach/kid%20microscope.jpg

iko
Title: Many adults with psychiatric disorders may also have undiagnosed ADHD
Post by: Zoey on 19/02/2007 06:33:25
 I'm one of those who stopped believing in "mental illness" a long time ago, but do believe in vitamin D deficiency and the miracles wrought by cod liver oil.
" If sanity and insanity exist, how shall we know them? " The quote is from "On Being Sane in Insane Places," an enlightening study from 1973 in which "pseudopatients" got themselves committed to psychiatric units and recorded their experiences. It is a very interesting to read.
Zoey
http://courses.ucsd.edu/fall2003/ps163f/Rosenhan.htm