Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, abbreviated as ADHD.

ADHD is one of the common brain development disorders. The cause of this condition has not yet been determined, but studies have shown that the disease is related to factors such as family heredity and neuroactivity. At the same time, genes and different living conditions can also affect the severity of the disease. ADHD is not a rare condition, but the incidence may have been underestimated. Most of the symptoms appear in childhood and continue into adulthood.

Symptoms of ADHD include:

  • Self-focused behavior
  • Interrupting others
  • Trouble waiting their turn
  • Fidgeting
  • Problems playing quietly and properly
  • Unfinished tasks
  • Lack of focus
  • Throwing Tantrum

 

ADHD and TMS

Medication (such as stimulants) is the traditional treatment of ADHD. It is also the first line of treatment. However, the side effects brought by stimulants concern many parents. In addition to medical treatment, non-pharmacological treatments, for instance, cognitive behavioral therapy.

In many clinical studies, studies have shown that TMS is a therapeutic alternative to ADHD. TMS is also believed to help increase understanding of the pathophysiology of ADHD. In recent years, due to the high safety of TMS and its non-invasive feature, more and more clinical medical research has also used TMS as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool. Clinical studies have found that TMS is a technique which can effectively target and treat neurological dysfunction found in ADHD patients.

Moreover, TMS has been rated as safe for children over two years of age, with good tolerance and safety. There are still several large-scale TMS studies on ADHD in various parts of the world. There will be more research data to support the potential use of TMS in ADHD.

Reference

Rubio, B., Boes, A., Laganiere, S., Rotenberg, A., Jeurissen, D.,& Pascual-Leone, A.(2016). Noninvasive Brain Stimulation in Pediatric ADHD: A Review. J Child Neurol, 31(6), 784-796.

Weaver, L., Rostain, A.L., Mace, W., Akhtar, U., Moss, E.,& O’Reardon, J.P. (2012). Transcranial Magnetic stimulation (TMS) in the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adolescents and young adults: a pilot study. J ECT, 28(2), 98-103.

 

*Declaration: The application of TMS to ADHD is still experimental. Although some clinical studies have achieved positive results, this clinical application has not yet obtained FDA approval and CE mark.