Serum Zinc Correlates with Parent- and Teacher-Rated Inattention in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship of zinc nutrition to the severity of attentiondeficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in a middle-class American sample with well-diagnosed ADHD. Previous reports of zinc in ADHD, including two positive clinical trials of supplementation, have come mainly from countries and cultures with different diets and/or socioeconomic realities. Method: Children 5–10 years of age with DISC- and clinician-diagnosed ADHD had serum zinc determinations and parent and teacher ratings of ADHD symptoms. Zinc levels were correlated (Pearson’s and multiple regression) with ADHD symptom ratings. Results: Forty-eight children (37 boys, 11 girls; 33 combined type, 15 inattentive) had serum zinc levels with a median/mode at the lowest 30% of the laboratory reference range; 44 children also had parent/teacher ratings. Serum magnesium levels were normal. Nutritional intake by a parent-answered food frequency questionnaire was unremarkable. Serum zinc correlated at r = -0.45 (p = 0.004) with parent-teacher-rated inattention, even after controlling for gender, age, income, and diagnostic subtype, but only at r = -0.20 (p = 0.22) with CPT omission errors. In contrast, correlation with parent-teacher-rated hyperactivity-impulsivity was nonsignificant in the opposite direction. Conclusion: These findings add to accumulating evidence for a possible role of zinc in ADHD, even for middle-class Americans, and, for the first time, suggest a special relationship to inattentive symptoms. They do not establish either that zinc deficiency causes ADHD nor that ADHD should be treated with zinc. Hypothesis-testing clinical trials are needed

Vestibular Stimulation for ADHD: Randomized Controlled Trial of Comprehensive Motion Apparatus

Objective: This research evaluates effects of vestibular stimulation by Comprehensive Motion Apparatus (CMA) in ADHD. Method: Children ages 6 to 12 (48 boys, 5 girls) with ADHD were randomized to thrice-weekly 30-min treatments for 12 weeks with CMA, stimulating otoliths and semicircular canals, or a single-blind control of equal duration and intensity, each treatment followed by a 20-min typing tutorial. Results: In intent-to-treat analysis (n = 50), primary outcome improved significantly in both groups (p = .0001, d = 1.09 to 1.30), but treatment difference not significant (p = .7). Control children regressed by follow-up (difference p = .034, d = 0.65), but overall difference was not significant (p = .13, d = .47). No measure showed significant treatment differences at treatment end, but one did at follow-up. Children with IQ-achievement discrepancy ≥ 1 SD showed significantly more CMA advantage on three measures. Conclusion: This study illustrates the importance of a credible control condition of equal duration and intensity in trials of novel treatments. CMA treatment cannot be recommended for combined-type ADHD without learning disorder