Ronald T. Brown

Compact and authoritative guidance on evidence-based treatment for ADHD in adults Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that emerges during chil

We examined the relationships between promotion and prevention focus and caloric consumption in reaction to a dietary lapse scenario among weight loss maintainers. Participants were 65 adult females who had attained and maintained a weight loss of 10 % or more for at least 1 month. After engaging in a dietary lapse in a feeding laboratory, participants completed a “bogus” taste test, during which they could consume as much food as they liked. It was hypothesized that promotion and prevention focus would predict caloric consumption, mediated by depressive and anxious affect. Prevention focus, but not promotion focus, was positively associated with proportion of daily calories consumed. Affect was not a mediator. Prevention focus may be deleterious for dietary maintenance following dietary lapses. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed in light of prior research. Limitations of the study and recommendations for future research also are presented.

Objective: This pilot study examined whether methylphenidate (MPH) was effective in enhancing cognitive performance and attention for children with sickle cell disease (SCD) with cerebrovascular complications who evidence attention problems. Methods: In this multisite, pilot study, we evaluated 2 separate double-blind controlled clinical trials, including a laboratory trial of the short-term efficacy of MPH, with the second study a 3-week home/school crossover trial evaluating the efficacy of MPH. The laboratory trial included 14 participants between the age of 7 and 16 years. Assessments included measures of sustained attention, reaction time, executive functions, and verbal memory. The home/school trial included 20 participants. The outcome measures were parent and teacher ratings of attention. The first study compared MPH with placebo, while the second trial compared placebo, low-dose (LD) MPH, and moderate-dose MPH. Results: In the laboratory trial, significant effects were revealed for measures of memory and inhibitory control. Parent and teacher reports from the home/school trial indicate that moderate-dose MPH produced superior improvement in attention relative to the placebo and LD MPH. Conclusions: Stimulant medication positively impacted select measures of memory and inhibitory control in some children with SCD. Attention, as rated by parent and teachers, was improved for a greater number of children and adolescents on higher doses of MPH relative to LD MPH and placebo. Stimulant medication may provide an effective intervention for some children with SCD and cerebrovascular complications who demonstrate attention problems.

The United Kingdom and European Union recently restricted the use of artificial food colorings (AFCs) to improve the health of children. These decisions provide an interesting case study of the role of scientific evidence in the assessment of food additives and risk to children's health and formulation of food policy. Although there continues to be uncertainty concerning the link between AFCs and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), policy decisions have been made that have far-reaching implications. In addition, publicity surrounding the policy changes may shape public perceptions concerning effective management of ADHD. We believe that the balance of existing evidence neither refutes nor supports the link between AFCs and ADHD, which highlights the need for carefully designed studies to further investigate the link between AFCs and ADHD. In this article we describe a model for such studies. In developing our model, we drew from current investigative standards in ADHD research, such as those used in the landmark Multimodal Treatment Study of Children With ADHD. These standards encompass methodologic considerations including sample selection, outcome assessment, and data analyses. It is our hope that this model research methodology may prove valuable in addressing design considerations in future studies of AFCs and ADHD with the goal of producing reliable data that will enable policy-makers to better formulate effective, evidence-based food-policy decisions.