Stimulant medications such as Ritalin have been prescribed for decades to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and their popularity as "cognition enhancers" has recently surged among the healthy, as well.

An ADHD-associated version of the human gene DRD4 is linked to better health among nomadic tribesmen, but may cause malnourishment in their settled cousins, according to new research by a team directed by an anthropologist at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM).

Food may not be the major cause of hyperactivity in children. Genetics, brain function and parental actions such as smoking may be just as important.

Shire plc (LSE: SHP, Nasdaq: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today presented the results of a phase III pivotal study in which VYVANSE demonstrated significant improvements in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms in adults and met all safety and efficacy endpoints.

Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced findings from a new data analysis that was conducted to examine treatment differences with DAYTRANA™ (methylphenidate transdermal system) between boys and girls aged 6 to 12 years with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Shire plc(LSE: SHP, Nasdaq: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, presented today at a major scientific meeting findings from analyses of pivotal trial results of INTUNIV, a selective alpha-2A-agonist. This compound is an investigational once-daily medication, which is being evaluated for the treatment of the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Shire plc, the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, announced today that it will present key scientific data on its Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) treatments, lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, methylphenidate transdermal system and the investigational non-stimulant treatment under FDA review, guanfacine extended release, at the American Psychiatric Association (APA) annual meeting to be held May 3rd to 8th in Washington, D.C.

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) should get careful cardiac evaluation and monitoring – including an electrocardiogram (ECG) – before treatment with stimulant drugs, a new American Heart Association statement recommends.

The research in the article looked at childhood ADHD in underrepresented minorities, reviewing controversy around evaluation, diagnosis, and obstacles faced by families, ending with recommendations for assessment and treatment. Studying causes and consequences of untreated ADHD in minority children, the article considers:

Girls with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder stand a substantially greater risk of developing eating disorders in adolescence than girls without ADHD, a new study has found.

Treatment with methylphenidate (MPH) appears to have beneficial effects on sleep parameters in adults with ADHD, including increased sleep efficiency and a feeling of improved restorative value of sleep, according to a study published in the March 1 issue of the journal SLEEP.

A new study finds that the use of stimulant drugs to treat children with ADHD has no effect on their future risk of substance abuse.