HIGHLIGHTS FROM RESEARCH INTO ADHD AND LD

Previous issues of Crime Times have summarized a large body of research on the link between ADHD or learning disabilities and criminal or aberrant behavior. We review this research briefly on this page; for in-depth information, click on the corresponding links.

Subtle deficits in intelligence and language skills may put girls at high risk for drug and alcohol abuse, according to a study by Ralph Tarter and colleagues. The researchers found that compared to controls, girls with substance abuse problems were "impaired on cognitive tests measuring verbal intelligence, attention, perceptual efficiency, language competence and educational achievement." (Crime Times, 1996, Vol. 2, No. 3, Page 3)

Patricia Hardman and Donald Morton studied 82 randomly selected individuals in a rehabilitation center for substance abusers, and found that 80 were dyslexic and 71 had attention deficit disorder. High rates of other learning disabilities also were seen. (Crime Times, 1996, Vol. 2, No. 3, Page 3)

Evaluating 171 boys in a residential program for substance abusers with behavioral disorders, Laetitia Thompson et al. compared the severity of conduct disorder and substance abuse, and the ages at which behavior problems first appeared, in boys with and without ADHD. The researchers found that "the boys [with ADHD] showed earlier onset of problem behaviors, and, in middle adolescence, they showed very high levels of these behaviors, other diagnoses [including depression and anxiety], and more substance involvement." They conclude that adolescents with both conduct disorder and ADHD "may have particularly severe and persisting pathology." (Crime Times, 1996, Vol. 2, No. 4, Page 3)

Of 39 adolescent mothers studied by Helen Rauch-Elnekave, a majority scored one or more years below grade level in reading and language skills, and one third lagged more than two grades. Rauch-Elnekave found that most of the girls had learning disabilities severe enough to qualify them for special education classes. In addition, she found that the children of these girls exhibited significant language delays and cognitive problems. (Crime Times, 1996, Vol. 2, No. 4, Page 3)

Young drivers with ADHD are nearly four times as likely as other young drivers to be involved in a crash resulting in injuries, and are rated by their parents or other individuals as being significantly poorer drivers. (Crime Times, 1997, Vol. 3, No. 2, Page 6)

While many studies indicate that hyperactivity leads to adult psychopathology only if conduct disorder is also present in childhood, a study by Eric Taylor et al. found that "a wide range of adversity is predicted" by the presence of childhood hyperactivity, even in the absence of conduct disorder. The researchers found that hyperactivity "is predictive of violence, both by self-report and parental account, and of defiant and disruptive behaviors; and it is often followed by poor relationships with age peers, a lack of involvement in social activities, a lack of engagement in constructive activities generally, and poor academic achievement." (Crime Times, 1997, Vol. 3, No. 3, Page 1)

A 1999 study by Miriam Cherkes-Julkowski found that 75 percent of premature children suffer from learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, language impairment, mild neurological impairment, or general academic problems, compared to only 25 percent of controls. (Crime Times, 1999, Vol. 5, No. 2, Page 2)

Gail Wasserman and colleagues, studying 87 "at risk" boys, found that children with reduced right ear accuracy-a reflection of a deficit in the left hemisphere's ability to process language-have an increased risk of substance abuse. They suggest that poor verbal skills and substance abuse may stem from a common brain dysfunction, possibly involving the prefrontal cortex. (Crime Times, 1999, Vol. 5, No. 4, Page 2)

Research by the Center for Science in the Public Interest strongly links attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to food dyes and additives and food allergies, saying that "17 of... 23 studies found evidence that some children's behavior significantly worsens after they consume artificial colors or certain foods, such as milk or wheat." (Crime Times, 2000, Vol. 6, No. 1, Page 1)

A study by Stephen Schoenthaler found that supplementing the diets of school children with vitamins and minerals can increase nonverbal IQ by a significant amount. Schoenthaler says, "Just as students who have difficulty reading are routinely referred to an optometrist for a vision examination, schools should consider making similar referrals for children with poor academic performance to a physician skilled in nutritional assessment, counseling, and correction." (Crime Times, 2000, Vol. 6, No. 2, Page 3)

The brain abnormalities that underlie ADHD appear to be present early in life, according to brain imaging studies by F. Xavier Castellanos and colleagues. The researchers found reduced cerebral and cerebellar vermis volume in young children with ADHD, as compared to controls. (Crime Times, 2000, Vol. 6, No. 3, Page 5)

A study by Richard Carlton and colleagues showed significant improvement in the academic skills and behavior of learning-disabled students given personally tailored nutritional supplements. A group of students who remained on the nutrients for several years continued to show gains, while those who stopped taking the nutrients showed a drop in academic scores. (Crime Times, 2000, Vol. 6, No. 3, Page 1)

In 2000, The Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility issued a report charging that neurotoxins in the air, soil, and water play a strong role in "an epidemic of developmental, learning and behavioral disabilities" in the United States. (Crime Times, 2000, Vol. 6, No. 3, Page 2)

A study by B. Jacqueline Stordy found that dyslexics given supplements of the fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) showed marked improvements in both visual and motor skills. (Crime Times, 2000, Vol. 6, No. 4, Page 3) (Crime Times, 2002, Vol. 8, No. 2, Page 2)

Monkeys exposed to lead and/or PCBs show patterns of behavioral impairment simiilar to those exhibited by children with ADHD, according to a study by Deborah Rice and colleagues. The researchers conclude, "It seems reasonable to postulate that environmental neurotoxicants contribute to the prevalence of ADHD currently being identified in children." (Crime Times, 2000, Vol. 6, No. 4, Page 1)

Hyperactivity and coordination problems are "a particularly ominous combination," according to Peder Rasmussen and Christopher Gillberg, who followed children from age 7 to age 22 and found that 58 percent of the ADHD subjects (compared to 13 percent of controls) had poor outcomes, and that 69 percent of those with both severe ADHD and coordination problems fared badly in adulthood. The researchers also found that one third of the ADHD group were diagnosed with personality disorders in adulthood, and that "antisocial personality disorder was the most common type diagnosed." (Crime Times, 2001, Vol. 7, No. 1, Page 1)

An adoptee study by Susan Sprich et al. found that ADHD has strong genetic roots, with 18 percent of the biological parents of children with ADHD showing ADHD symptoms, compared to six percent of adoptive parents of ADHD children and three percent of biological parents of non-ADHD children. (Crime Times, 2001, Vol. 7, No. 1, Page 2)

Even slight prematurity is a risk factor for learning disabilities, according to a study by Charlotte Huddy and colleagues. The researchers found that of 117 mildly premature children, 25 percent required classroom support, 32 percent had writing problems, 31 percent had poor fine motor skills, 29 percent had difficulty with math, and 21 percent had difficulty reading. (Crime Times, 2001, Vol. 7, No. 3, Page 7)