In The News

Program will explore ADD/ADHD mysteries

March 22, 2007
Bio info: Paul Herron is an associate professor of anatomy and neurobiology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

The mysteries behind the complex functioning of the brain and how it produces behavior have intrigued scientists and the general public for centuries. According to David Hubel, a Nobel Prize winner, the brain "is a complicated, intricately woven tissue, like nothing else we know of in the universe." Over the last 50 years, tremendous discoveries and understandings have begun to unlock some of those mysteries.

We are now experiencing the benefits of these discoveries in just about every phase of our lives. However, the pace of these discoveries is occurring much faster than the general public is aware. To improve public awareness in Memphis and as part of an international effort supported by the Dana Foundation, we at the University of Tennessee Neuroscience Institute are engaged in special activities this week to enhance the public's knowledge about the brain and behavior.

There is much to talk about. At UT and throughout the world, scientists who are doing research on the brain, called neuroscientists, are answering questions such as: What is the mind? How does the brain produce creativity? How does the brain produce emotions such as happiness, sadness and anger? How do we learn, remember and process information? Why do we lose our memory? Why do we become addicted to cigarettes and drugs? How can we recover from strokes, spinal cord injuries and depression? How can chronic pain be relieved? What are the causes of psychiatric disorders? What are the causes of developmental neurological disorders?

These questions plus many more are receiving intense investigation by neuroscientists. However, the last one, the underlying causes of developmental neurological disorders, receives a top priority. With support from the National Institutes of Health and private foundations, neuroscientists are working to relieve the suffering of millions of Americans impaired by some form of brain disorder or injury.

Neuroscience, a relatively new science, brings together many different disciplines, including biology, physiology, anatomy, pharmacology, chemistry, physics and math to focus on the complexity of the brain. New methods and equipment must constantly be developed to study the structure, chemistry, genetics and communication between cells in the brain.

Another key part is then to study the effects on the brain of different kinds of everyday experiences. These experiences could be anything from very rewarding play, social activities or educational experiences, to being deprived of these experiences, or using drugs. The findings from this research are then used to develop effective therapeutics for the treatment and cure of neurological disorders.

Today, the UT Neuroscience Institute will join with The Urban Child Institute to present a public program on attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This two-hour program is especially timely because of the increasing diagnosis of these disorders in children in the Memphis metropolitan area and across the country.

Dr. William Armstrong, director of the Neuroscience Institute, will moderate presentations by two speakers. Dr. David Kube, a professor of developmental pediatrics at the University of Tennessee, will bring us up to date on current diagnosis criteria, behavioral medication and home management for ADD and ADHD children. Dr. Margaret Semrud-Clikeman, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at Michigan State University, will speak on the recent advances in understanding the neurological basis for ADD and ADHD.

The program is designed for the general public, including parents, grandparents, caregivers, support groups, teachers and allied professionals. It will be held at The Urban Child Institute, 600 Jefferson, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Refreshments will be provided.

In related activities this month, our faculty and students will be giving demonstrations and talks about the brain to primary and secondary school students. Dr. Linda Kennard, director of early childhood development and elementary literacy for the Memphis City Schools, and I will also make presentations to pre-K teachers on enhancing their teaching strategies using knowledge of brain development, learning and memory.

We hope these activities will help the general public gain more of an appreciation for how we use our brains when we are doing things normally, as well as awareness of the substantial benefits to be gained from continued research into potential treatments and cures of neurological disorders.

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Experts join seminar on ADD/ADHD

By Barbara Holden
Special to My Life
March 13, 2007

Science and technology continue to accelerate our understanding and treatment for illnesses and disabilities affecting young children. Perhaps the most vivid example is in the field of neuroscience and the major leap in knowledge we have about attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) -- conditions that were not even diagnosed a generation ago.

"It is amazing what we now know about this syndrome compared to 30 years ago when it was not so well understood -- to the point now where it is on the front pages of newspapers and magazines," said Dr. William Armstrong, director of the University of Tennessee Neuroscience Institute. "Previously, there was a tendency to lump everyone into some general learning deficit. With better diagnosis we can now distinguish ADD and ADHD from other deficits and determine better treatments." Faculty at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and Boling Center for Developmental Disabilities are highly involved in diagnosis and treatment of ADD and ADHD in Shelby County.

Armstrong will moderate a seminar on March 22, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Urban Child Institute, 600 Jefferson, that will involve two well-known experts: Dr. David Kube, associate professor of development pediatrics and a member of the Boling Center, and Dr. Margaret Semrud-Clikeman, professor of psychology and psychiatry at Michigan State University. Kube will focus on clinical diagnosis and treatment, while Semrud-Clikeman will discuss recent findings using advanced imaging techniques of the brain areas thought to be involved in ADD/ADHD.

The seminar is part of the annual National Brain Awareness Week activities (designated by the National Institutes of Health and the Dana Foundation), and is sponsored by the UT Neuroscience Institute in collaboration with The Urban Child Institute. It is free and open to the public, but space is limited. Parents of children with ADD/ADHD are encouraged to attend. To register, contact Brenda Williams at 526-1822 or bwilliams@theurbanchildinstitute.org.

ADD and ADHD are neurobiological-based developmental disabilities estimated to affect 3 to 5 percent of school-age children. The exact cause of ADD/ADHD is not known. Scientific evidence suggests that the disorder is genetically transmitted in many cases and results from a chemical imbalance or deficiency in certain neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that help the brain regulate behavior.

Primary features of the disabilities are inattention, hyperactivity and lack of impulse control. Children affected have short attention spans, are frequently inattentive and easily distracted. They may have trouble engaging in leisure activities quietly, often fidget and may run about or climb excessively in inappropriate situations.

As science has advanced, ADD/ADHD is being diagnosed and successfully treated with greater frequency.

One fascinating area of science, the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET scans), will be addressed by Semrud-Clikeman. These tools help clinicians and researchers understand which brain areas are associated with ADD/ADHD, which in turn aids development of treatments.

Barbara Holden is a director at the Urban Child Institute, a Greater Memphis organization dedicated to promoting early childhood development. The Commercial Appeal is a partner with the Urban Child Institute in this effort to help parents and other care givers learn skills that nurture and educate the minds of infants and children.

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First Neuroscience Institute Fellowships for Undergraduate Research Awarded

The Neuroscience Institute recently awarded the first Fellowships for Undergraduate Research to Mr. Alan Newton of Christian Brothers University and Ms. Teresa Bell of Rhodes College. A committee at their respective institutions chose each based on their academic excellence and strong interest in Neuroscience. Alan will be working with Dr. Larry Reiter in Neurology, studying the genetics of autism. Teresa will be working with Dr. Matt Ennis in Anatomy and Neurobiology, who studies both olfactory neural circuits and central pain processing. Both will begin lab work this summer.