Polyunsaturated fatty acids in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Background: Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common behavioral disorders in children. Insufficient dietary intake of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) has been suggested to have an impact on the development of symptoms of ADHD in children. Individuals with ADHD have been demonstrated to have significantly reduced blood concentrations of PUFAs and, in particular, reduced levels of omega-3 (n-3) PUFAs. These findings suggest that PUFA supplementation may reduce the attention and behavior problems associated with ADHD. Objective: To provide an overview of the efficacy of dietary LC-PUFA supplementation in the treatment of ADHD. Methods: Literature published up until December 2013 on the effects of n-3 PUFA supplementation on ADHD symptoms was obtained using a PubMed search and critically reviewed. Results: Dietary PUFA supplementation appears to have beneficial effects on ADHD symptoms although these effects are small. The clinical relevance of these observations remains to be determined. Conclusion: There is only limited support for the efficacy of PUFA supplementation for the core symptoms of ADHD. Given the small effect sizes regarding PUFA supplementation, it may not be a sufficient therapy for a majority of patients with ADHD

Dietary omega-3 fatty acids and locomotor activity in an animal model of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

ABSTRACTBackground: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most frequent behavioral disorder of childhood and is characterized by hyperactivity, attention problems and impulsivity. Pharmacological and behavioral therapies have been shown to be effective. In addition, the role of dietary compounds in the etiology and possibly the treatment of ADHD has attracted increasing attention. For example, the lack of dietary essential fatty acids has been suggested to be associated with symptoms of ADHD in humans.Objective: To investigate the effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) on locomotor activity in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) which has been proposed as an animal model of ADHD.Methods: Two groups of randomly assigned spontaneously hypertensive rats were fed with either n-3 PUFA-deficient or n-3 PUFA-enriched food (based on AIN93G) for six weeks and this was continued during the phase of behavioral testing. Locomotor activity was subsequently assessed using an open field test.Results: The results showed a marked difference in locomotor activity between the two groups of SHRs. In comparison with rats fed with n-3 deficient food, the animals on an n-3 enriched diet showed a statistically significant decrease in motor activity as assessed by the distance traveled.Conclusions: The present study demonstrates a marked reduction in locomotor activity following an n-3 PUFA-enriched diet in SHRs, i.e. the dietary enrichment with n-3 PUFAs reduced the motor activity in an established animal model of ADHD. Dietary n-3 PUFAs may therefore play a role in the pathophysiology of ADHD.Key words: omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, animal model, spontaneously hypertensive rat, SHR, motor activit

The effects of nutritional polyunsaturated fatty acids on locomotor activity in spontaneously hypertensive rats

The present study investigated the effects of nutritional omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on locomotor activity in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), which are used as an animal model of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). For 6 weeks, two groups of randomly assigned SHRs received food either enriched with or deficient in omega-3 fatty acids (based on the American Institute of Nutrition—93 G/AIN93G). Using an open field, locomotor activity was subsequently assessed for 6 days. A marked difference in locomotor activity as assessed by the distance travelled in the open field was found between the two groups of rats. In comparison with rats fed with omega-3 fatty acid-enriched food, the animals on the omega-3 fatty acid-deficient diet showed a significantly higher locomotor activity. The present findings demonstrated that nutritional enrichment with omega-3 fatty acids was associated with reduced motor activity in an established animal model of ADHD and support the notion that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may play a role in the pathophysiology of ADHD

Ketogenic diets and Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by decline in cognitive functions and associated with the neuropathological hallmarks of amyloid β-peptide plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Cerebral glucose uptake and metabolism deteriorate in AD and this hypometabolism precedes the onset of clinical signs in AD. The early decline in brain glucose metabolism in AD has become a potential target for therapeutic intervention. This has led to investigations assessing the supplementation of the normal glucose supply with ketone bodies which are produced by the body during glucose deprivation and can be metabolized by the brain when glucose utilization is impaired. The present review provides a synopsis of preclinical studies and clinical trials assessing the efficacy of ketogenic diets in the treatment of AD. Both the direct administration of ketone bodies and the use of high-fat, low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets have been shown to be efficacious in animal models of AD and clinical trials with AD patients. The mechanism underlying the efficacy of ketogenic diets remains unclear, but some evidence points to the normalization of aberrant energy metabolism. At present there is only limited evidence of the usefulness of ketogenic diets in AD. However, this dietary approach seems to be promising and deserves further clinical investigations

Utility of cognitive neuropsychological assessment in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

The present review addresses the question of whether and how neuropsychological tests assessing cognition in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can contribute to clinical and scientific issues concerning ADHD. Neuropsychological studies have shown various though inconsistent cognitive deficits in patients with ADHD. While patients with ADHD, at group level, may differ from healthy participants in regard to cognitive functioning, there is no distinct psychometric cognitive test or profile allowing an individual diagnosis of ADHD or the identification of subtypes according to DSM. Psychometric neuropsychological tests may provide a precise description of the cognitive problems in individual patients and offer specific information for individualized treatment planning. In addition, neuropsychological assessment may contribute to neuroscientific research by providing endophenotypes or biological markers of ADHD. Cognitive neuropsychological assessment appears to be at present of limited clinical use and confined to individual descriptions

Yoga and the Therapy of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the commonest psychiatric disorders in children. Stimulants are frequently used in the management of ADHD. Due to adverse effects of medication there is a growing interest in complementary treatments. Complementary and alternative medicine therapies including yoga are commonly used in children with ADHD, but little is known about the efficacy of these therapies. Yoga requires long periods of concentration and is therefore supposed to reduce attention deficits. The published investigations without a control group report positive effects of yoga on ADHD symptoms and school performance. However, these studies do not allow causal conclusions in regard to the effects of yoga in the treatment of ADHD. The findings from exploratory randomized controlled studies suggest that future research on the efficacy of yoga in ADHD may yield results of therapeutic value. At present the small number of available investigations renders impossible the drawing of any conclusions regarding the effectiveness of yoga for ADHD in children. Large, well-controlled, randomized trials are needed in order to establish the potential value of yoga as a single treatment or adjunct to standard ADHD therapies