Weekly Research Updates for February 24, 2024

00:00 Introduction
00:21 Effectiveness of online dialectic behavior therapy for adult ADHD
02:19 ADHD and hypersexuality
06:03 ADHD and exploratory behavior while foraging - Did ADHD offer an evolutional advantage when humans were hunter-gatherers?
12:20 PowerPoint slides summarizing my opinion on ADHD behavior having some evolutionary advantage in foraging
Research Discussed in the Video
Effectiveness of an online dialectical behavior therapy skills training in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A randomized controlled trial
V Ulusoy, I Bilican, A Gormez - Psychotherapy Research, 2024. doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2024...
ADHD and Hypersexual behaviors: The role of impulsivity, depressive feelings, hypomanic symptoms, and psychotic prodromes. Doroldi, D . et al. (2024). Journal of Affection Disorders.
doi.org/10.1016/j.jadr.2024.1...
Attention deficits linked with proclivity to explore while foraging. Barack, D. L. et al. (2024). Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.
doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.2584
Research Not Discussed in the Video
Increased risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adolescents with high salivary levels of copper, manganese, and zinc
DAM Robinson, KL Edwards, MT Willoughby… - European Child & …, 2024
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Tourette disorder (TD): between comorbidity and differential diagnosis
G Casas - Medicina, 2024
Comparing Embedded Performance validity indicators within the WAIS-IV Letter-Number sequencing subtest to Reliable Digit Span among adults referred for evaluation of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
JCA Finley, VJ Rodriguez, BM Cerny, F Chang… - The Clinical Neuropsychologist…, 2024
A One Health Approach to Neurodiversity and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in People and Dogs: Implications for Research, Treatments, and Acceptance
A Tsakiris, BVMNVW Center
Sex-differential patterns of neuropsychological functioning in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
YJ Lin, MC Lai, LK Yang, SSF Gau - Comprehensive Psychiatry, 2024
Educational attainment, income, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A mediation analysis based on two-step Mendelian randomization
T Xie, B Zhu, H Li, J Xu, Y Mao - Social Science & Medicine, 2024
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults with epilepsy: An indirect relationship with suicide risk
EJ Choi, M Jung, TY Kim, B Kim, SA Lee - Epilepsy & Behavior, 2024
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms and Anger and Aggression in Russian Adolescents
J Isaksson, D Sukhodolsky, R Koposov, A Stickley… - JAACAP Open, 2024
Participatory translational science of neurodivergence: model for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism research
EJS Sonuga-Barke, S Chandler, S Lukito… - The British Journal of …, 2024
The strengths of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in university students: A qualitative investigation
AV Ramjia, J Fosterb. Journal of Educational Scienes and Psychology, 2023
Differences in Language and Literacy Competence According to the Comorbidity of Speech Sound Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: for Preschool 6-Year …
EJ Lee - Communication Sciences & Disorders, 2023
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Dysregulated Eating: What Nurses Need to Know
J Arsenault, K Weaver - American J Medi Re Heal Sci: AJMRHS-102, 2023
Assessing Adult ADHD: An Updated Review of Rating Scales for Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
SS Caroline S, PM Sudhir, U Mehta, A Kandasamy… - … of Attention Disorders, 2024
Relationship between experimental task and questionnaire measures of reward/punishment sensitivity in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): protocol for a scoping review
M Oguchi, E Furukawa, N Nagahama, KD Perera… - BMJ Open, 2024
Telepsychiatry Assessments Using the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale-IV for Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Their Caregivers …
S Kurokawa, K Nomura, N Hosogane, T Nagasawa… - Journal of Medical Internet …, 2024
No Effects of Decanoic Acid on Locomotor Activity and Antioxidant Defences in an Experimental Animal Model of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder/ S Carreón-Trujillo, JC Corona - Journal of Integrative Neuroscience, 2024
Polyuria after Discontinuation of Methylphenidate Treatment in a Child with ADHD Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences 2023; 13-3: 179-181
D Ozdemir, Y Imrek, AE Tufan, Y Ozturk, S Sarioglu
For better or for worse? Memories and mental health related to COVID-19 lockdowns in adolescents with Attention Deficit Disorders
TF Hjuler, CU Rask, KH Kallesøe - Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 2024
ADHD in Older Adults: Diagnostic Confusion and Treatment Hesitancy
D Goodman - The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2024

[@GenRN]

Dr. Barkley, I just want to thank you for all you have done to educate me on ADHD. I was diagnosed at 40 after 2 of my 3 kids were diagnosed and you helped me so much with understanding and managing ADHD and executive functioning problems. Your book helped me so much. Thank you!

[@russellbarkleyphd2023]

My pleasure. Be well.

[@charliebee5154]

The ADHD Forager's experience : 1. Found a buttload of berries while being tasked with gathering wood. 2. Ate half of whatever was gathered on the spot. (So tasty!) 3. Also found a weird bird with big eyes, salvaged a bunch of red mushrooms and some sticky leaves to make some tea later. 4. Followed the bird for a while. Ate the mushrooms with a few more berries. 5. Got sick. Followed the birds directions back to camp. Got lost. 6. Got found!!! Got chewed out by the chief again for coming back without any wood. 7. Brewed the BEST TEA EVER as an apology to the clan. 8. It's...so... 9. goo.....d.... 10. ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

[@russellbarkleyphd2023]

Hysterical!

[@theredjediknight]

Dr Barkley, thank you for your work on ADHD. However as a Autistic Adult & ADHD and former mental health nurse, I disagree with CBT, like many in the Neurodivergence community, CBT presumes we are broken, we need fixing and a few exercises will fix us. DBT is better, but like CBT is very intensive, requires a lot of homework.

[@megzin00]

I'm AuDHD and I attended DBT last year. It changed my life in such a better way. I still practice what I learned and my quality of life and ADHD symptoms have improved A LOT!

[@russellbarkleyphd2023]

Great to know. Thanks for letting us know it helped.

[@tartiflettesalsifis7634]

not to mention that in an environment where bushes of berries are rare, the less time you spend on each is more wasted time exploring without finding anything

[@publius9350]

DBT and CBT therapy involve a lot of homework, which I imagine further increases need for medication for effectiveness of therapy. There is also always an issue with blinding and variation in therapist quality for these studies as well.

[@StanleyGarczynski]

One thing that I've been thinking about as far as an ADHD symptom/skill is a rapid "process of elimination." I think about this when I play chess. I've played my whole life, so I can observe friends who process differently. So, even though I'm skillful these are pretty casual games. My last game was pretty casual, but my opponent had degrees in math and astronomy. I forked his queen with my knight which took away his strongest piece. He smiled and said he wanted to continue, regardless (I probably would have given up to start a new game). My next move was check-mate through the process of elimination. I didn't see it. He saw it was check-mate before I saw it. I'd be interested in your thoughts.

[@kangsankim6992]

Hello Dr. Barkley, thank you for the video. I find the story of an individual with diagnosed ADHD, professional athlete, former military personnel, speaker, David goggins, very interesting and inspiring, although I walk a different path of life. In the podcast, he talks about engaging in self speech, having read your book Take Charge of your Adult ADHD, this is really interesting. Could you look into his case and share what other people with ADHD can learn from him? I belive people would benefit greatly if you could connect the dots of academical knowledges of ADHD with David Goggins' anecdotals. Despite having been diagnosed with ADHD, he is famous for being very disciplined. Thank you so much and I hope you have a nice weekend!

[@adultADHDindia]

Knew you would cover the evolutionary benefits study. On Reddit and X, as usual people started questioning the need for treatment and if ADHD is a superpower. Whenever I see research like this, I remind myself of the harms and impairments that are associated with ADHD. Disorders like depression, anxiety, substance use are correlated with ADHD. It puts you at a higher risk of cardiometabolic diseases, accidental injuries, suicide and is associated with higher healthcare costs. Treatment helps offset this increased risk, for the most part.

[@aybikeanacali8414]

But about those who were late diagnosed (25+ years old)? Is it because they are what you describe as "adhd traits but not clinical adhd" or because high IQ helps to find strategies to cope? We definitely need more studies on high IQ ADHD. Not the relationship between them but how their experience differs from average IQ ADHD.

[@Maryam-111]

Thank you thank you thank you 🙏💜

[@russellbarkleyphd2023]

You are soooo welcome. Thanks!

[@glyngreen538]

Could spotting danger due to wandering attention be an ADHD evolutionary advantage? Say you have a foraging group who decide they’re all going to pick berries off some bushes. The average people are busy focusing on harvesting the berries. The ADHD person gets bored after a bit and is looking around for stimulation and may be more likely to notice a tiger stalking up to threaten the tribe or members of a warring tribe sneaking up to surprise attack them or whatever. I don’t know if there’s any validity to this but it strikes me as a possible occasional advantage.

[@eliseholton9284]

❤

[@GethinColes]

In the same video we have evolutionary advantages oh ADHD and hypersexuality discussed! Is it not possible that ADHD is a genetically linked trait to hypersexuality, and that the genes have spread and survived because the reproductive advantage is just that: reproductive! (I saw reports on that study and I think it's reductionist claptrap!) With kin theory in natural selection only a small number of ADHD gene carrying individuals need to have a reproductive advantage. In social animals the advantages are shared by the kin of that individual and the whole group. A hypothesis might be that a group with no ADHD individuals might be worse off in a crisis than a group with some. What that advantage might be is fun to think about :) but probably not scientific. My guess is rather than an evolutionary advantage, that ADHD on the whole does not offer enough of a survival disadvantage to remove the trait from the population - and that the hypersexuality makes up for any small disadvantage it might incur.