Israeli-British research offers promising ADHD treatment method for children
Israeli and British scientists have discovered a new method that potentially improves the condition of children living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The researchers, based at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the University of Surrey, revealed this development in a study documented in the journal Translational Psychiatry.
In an examination impacting an estimated 5.2% of children across the globe, ADHD presents a considerable challenge. It negatively influences an individual’s attention span, memory, behaviour, and impulse control. Most treatments currently use medication to enhance a child’s capacity for focus and mood improvement. Still, in instances where side effects including headaches and suppressed appetite occur, there is a need for non-pharmacological therapies for ADHD.
The study takes an unconventional approach by exploiting a new form of brain stimulation, which involves transmitting a light electrical current through two electrodes. The aim is to ascertain if this approach enhances ADHD symptoms while engaged in cognitive training.
The researchers included 23 unmedicated children with ADHD in their study, culminating in compelling results after a two-week brain stimulation plan. A significant 55% of participants showcased remarkable clinical advancements in managing ADHD symptoms. The process attested to mild side effects, proving to be a stark contrast to the control set. This group, which engaged in cognitive training coupled with placebo brain stimulation, only had a 17% improvement rate.
An encouraging finding of the study was the sustained improvements among participants three weeks after the treatment concluded. A substantial 64% reported clinically significant responses to the treatments.
The paper’s authors hailed these results as an essential initial step in providing alternative therapeutic solutions to ADHD. This discovery carries the potential to positively alter not only the lives of children dealing with ADHD but also their families.
In related news, AI healthcare technology from Sweden could potentially reduce radiologists’ workload roughly in half, especially for breast cancer detection in routine scans. Though excited by these initial findings, project experts stressed the need for further study before AI can be extensively used in breast cancer screening. To read more click HERE.
