In the spring of 2008, Professor Mats Johnson and colleagues reported that a select sub-group of children with attention deficit disorder who were given omega 3/6 fatty acids had lower scores on two scales measuring features of the disorder. The sub-group appears to be children with primarily attention Of course, just as one swallow does not a summer, I wouldn’t recommend going into the business of promoting omega 3/6 therapy. Still for those who have championed the importance of nutrition, this will come as welcome news.
Journal of Attention Disorders, Vol. 12, No. 5, 394-401 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1087054708316261Omega-3/Omega-6 Fatty Acids for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial in Children and Adolescents
Mats Johnson
Göteborg University, Sweden, mats.k.johnson@vgregion.seSven Östlund
Göteborg University, Sweden
Gunnar Fransson
Göteborg University, Sweden
Björn Kadesjö
Göteborg University, Sweden
Christopher Gillberg
Göteborg University, Sweden
Objective: The aim of the study was to assess omega 3/6 fatty acids (eye q) in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method: The study included a randomized, 3-month, omega 3/6 placebo-controlled, one-way crossover trial with 75 children and adolescents (8—18 years), followed by 3 months with omega 3/6 for all. Investigator-rated ADHD Rating Scale—IV and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale were outcome measures. Results: A majority did not respond to omega 3/6 treatment. However, a subgroup of 26% responded with more than 25% reduction of ADHD symptoms and a drop of CGI scores to the near-normal range. After 6 months, 47% of all showed such improvement. Responders tended to have ADHD inattentive subtype and comorbid neurodevelopmental disorders. Conclusion: A subgroup of children and adolescents with ADHD, characterized by inattention and associated neurodevelopmental disorders, treated with omega 3/6 fatty acids for 6 months responded with meaningful reduction of ADHD symptoms. (J. of Att. Dis. 2009; 12(5) 394-401)
Things to consider: Only the data collection after the first 3 months was blind; note that at 6 months, when blind measures were not used, the percentage responding was higher. This opens the possibility that some of the difference between the percentage responding at 6 months and and 3 months was the result of bias by the people conducting the assessments. The sample is 75, so additional replications are important.
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Sigh–new content
Despite getting virtually no recommendations about future content (3 votes!), I’m starting to post some new content. The new content is, in my obviously biased view (else, why would I post it?), pretty important stuff. It’s about research, practice, knowledge, and all that sort of stuff as it connects to Learning Disabilities. In this page, I discuss big-idea concepts that recur in Learning Disabilities. These are the themes that one sees when one reads a diverse array of literature on the topic of LD.
I recommend it. What’s more, you won’t have to find this post each time you want to refer to the page; it will always be directly accessible under the “special content” link in the top navigation bar.
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