comorbid diagnoses: Latest News

December 13, 2024Leaded gasoline and exposure to its exhaust may help explain an estimated 151 million U.S. cases of psychiatric disorders, including ADHD, depression, and anxiety, according to a new cross-sectional study spanning the last 75 years published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.1Exposure to leaded gasoline from car exhaust was tied to population-wide cases of mental health disorders from 1940 to 2015 by researchers from Duke University, Florida State University, and the Medical University of South Carolina.

November 17, 2024Brain volume, and the genetic variants that influence it, is tied to ADHD and Parkinson’s disease risks, suggests one of the most extensive international studies to date on DNA and brain structure.1The new study, published in Nature Genetics, examined how brain size and genetic differences influence key subcortical or ‘deep brain’ regions crucial for memory, emotional regulation, proprioception, sensory processing, and responses to rewards and punishments.A team of 189 researchers from 45 countries analyzed data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans of 74,898 participants across 19 countries. They identified 254 genetic variants that impact brain volume and the likelihood of developing ADHD and Parkinson’s disease.“Genetic variants associated with larger brain volumes in key brain regions also increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease, while variants linked to smaller brain volumes in key regions are associated with an increased risk of ADHD,” said Miguel Rentería, Ph.D., study principal and associate professor at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR Berghofer) in Australia, in a statement.

Not available December 11? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.Can someone have both ADHD and schizophrenia? At first glance, the two conditions might seem distinct and unrelated.

Autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are commonly co-occurring conditions with significantly elevated prevalence rates. Though they are distinct, people with diagnoses of either autism or ADHD often struggle in similar situations.

Editor’s Note: Self-harm impacts an estimated 17% of teens worldwide.1 Among youth with ADHD, especially girls, the prevalence of self-injury is significantly increased, in part, because hallmark characteristics of ADHD such as impulsivity and emotional dysregulation can compel self-injurious behavior.Dramatically higher rates of self-harm among youth with ADHD are reflected in many studies, including the Berkeley Girls ADHD Longitudinal Study (BGALS), which found that girls with combined-type ADHD are 2.5 times more likely than their neurotypical peers to engage in non-suicidal self-injury, and 3 to 4 times more likely to attempt suicide. A recent study found that, among self-harming teens, the incidence of hyperactivity and emotional dysregulation were so much higher than in the control group that the researchers concluded that self-harm may serve as a first presentation of ADHD, especially among girls who might otherwise go undiagnosed.2 They further suggested that all teens who present with self-harm should be screened for ADHD.The newest research has revealed that rates of self-harm among youth with ADHD may be even higher than past studies suggested.