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— Dr. David Rabiner, Research Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke Uni­ver­sity and founder of the Atten­tion Research Update.

Given the ongoing changes and controversies surrounding ADHD diagnosis and treatment, let us highlight 5 key articles written by Duke University’s Dr. David Rabiner to summarize recent scientific findings and their implications, plus a very relevant online course to help parents and professionals help children with ADHD.

1. Study finds large gaps between research and practice in ADHD diagnosis and treatment

• Key insight: Evidence-based guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics on the evaluation and treatment of ADHD are frequently not followed. Many children are diagnosed with ADHD in the absence of clearly meeting DSM diagnostic criteria, and behavioral treatment is rarely recommended.
• Key data point: Pediatricians prescribed ADHD medication to roughly 93% of youth diagnosed with ADHD. Documentation that behavioral treatment was recommended, however, was present in only 13% of the charts.

Read the rest of this entry »

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While the study below was published a few years ago, it makes an important point that I think is worth revisiting.

In the study, published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, my colleagues and I looked at how frequently teacher ratings of inattentive symptoms persist in children from one grade to the next. We felt this was an important issue to examine because recognition that ADHD is often a chronic condition can obscure the fact that attention problems do not always reflect an enduring child characteristic, and that important changes are possible when children move to a new classroom.

As you will see below, clinically-elevated attention problems as perceived by teachers are less stable than you may have imagined. Read the rest of this entry »

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Time for a new edition of SharpBrains’ e-newsletter exploring the latest in brain health.

New research:

• Study debunks 4 common myths about brain training and lifelong cognitive enhancement
• Don’t overlook sleep difficulties in children with ADHD; they may impair functioning as much as ADHD itself
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), not medication, drives long-term rewiring of the brain to help reduce psychosis symptoms

New thinking:

• Four reasons the future of brain health is digital, pervasive and bright
• Readers around the globe are enjoying The SharpBrains Guide book in multiple languages: the English edition has received 100+ excellent customer reviews in the US alone (plus great comments in Canada, the UK and Australia); the Spanish edition has earned spectacular comments in the US, Spain and Mexico; and the Japanese and Polish editions are doing very well. Thank you, Gracias, Arigato, Dziekuje Ci, Obrigados. Please help us spread the word 🙂
• 10 Finalists announced for the $1M Global Teacher Prize

New tools:

• Past and Future Pervasive Neurotechnologies, as seen through 50 Key Patents. As part of our new series, here are a few selected foundational patents, especially relevant for those interested in technology and innovation:
• Courtesy of Microsoft, Managing information flow based on user’s mental state and cognitive load and Anticipating wearables, machine learning and cognitive enhancement
• Improving driving safety with alarms triggered by impending sleep state, detected via brain signals
• Remote computer-implemented methods for cognitive testing (Scientific Learning; Lumos Labs)
• Testing and training cognitive ability (CogniFit)
• Computer modeling meets Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) (Brainlab)

Finally, if you’re looking for some extra mental stimulation, don’t forget to check out our Top 25 Brain Teasers, Games and Illusions.

Have a great month of March!

The SharpBrains Team

– Illustrative image from U.S. Patent No. 6,622,036

Today we are sharing a 2003 patent assigned to CNS Response, Inc. (As mentioned, we are featuring a foundational Pervasive Neurotech patent a day, from older to newer by issue date)

U.S. Patent No. 6,622,036: Method for classifying and treating physiologic brain imbalances using quantitative EEG.

• Assignee(s): CNS Response, Inc
• Inventor(s): Stephen Suffin
• Technology Category: EEG
• Issue Date: September 16, 2003

SharpBrains’ Take:

The ‘036 patent discloses the application of quantified EEG to brain imbalances (e.g., physiological imbalances). Read the rest of this entry »

Talking therapy changes the brain’s wiring, study reveals for first time (ScienceDaily):

“A new study from King’s College London and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has shown for the first time that cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) strengthens specific connections in the brains of people with psychosis, and that these stronger connections are associated with long-term reduction in symptoms and recovery eight years later. Read the rest of this entry »