ADHD Professor Stephen Faraone explains: ADHD

 

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 ADHD is still a topic surrounded by myths and oversimplifications. In this episode, Dr Jarosław Jóźwiak talks to Prof. Stephen Faraone – one of the most highly cited ADHD researchers in the world – about the latest scientific findings in ADHD research.

👉 Is ADHD inherited? How old are ADHD risk genes? Are they becoming more or less common over time? What do we really know about the adverse effects of ADHD medications? Which treatment and therapy options are most effective for people with ADHD? 🧠 In this episode, Professor Stephen Faraone explains: ➡️ the role of genetics in ADHD ➡️ how advances in the biology of ADHD are changing treatment approaches ➡️ whether ADHD can be diagnosed using genetic testing ➡️ whether ADHD is a disorder and what the term “neurodiversity” actually means ➡️ whether stimulant medications for ADHD are safe ➡️ why ADHD treatment involves much more than medication alone ➡️ whether untreated ADHD can be dangerous 👉 Stephen Faraone is a distinguished Professor of Psychiatry as well as Neurobiology and Physiology at the Norton College of Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York. He is also a Senior Scientific Advisor to the Pediatric Psychopharmacology Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and a Lecturer at Harvard Medical School. Prof. Faraone is the Program Director of the educational websites www.adhdinadults.com and www.ADHDevidence.org, and the President of the World Federation of ADHD. 👉 Stephen Faraone is ranked among the top 0.01% most cited scientists across all disciplines worldwide. In 2025, ScholarGPS recognized him as the world’s leading scientist in ADHD, and in 2024 ExpertScape ranked him as the top global expert in ADHD and behavioral disorders. In 2023, Research.com also ranked him 80th among the world’s top scientists and 57th in the United States. He is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics and the Paul Hoch Award from the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. ➡️ ADHD RESEARCH DISCUSSED: 1. Genome-wide analyses of ADHD identify 27 risk loci, refine the genetic architecture and implicate several cognitive domains. Nature Genetics, 2023. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles... 2. Genomic analysis of the natural history of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder using Neanderthal and ancient Homo sapiens samples. Scientific Reports, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-65... 3. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medications and Long-Term Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases. JAMA Psychiatry, 2024. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama... 4. Methylphenidate and Short-Term Cardiovascular Risk. JAMA Network Open, 2024. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama... 5. Comparative efficacy and acceptability of pharmacological, psychological, and neurostimulatory interventions for ADHD in adults: a systematic review and component network meta-analysis. The Lancet Psychiatry, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(24... The MTA Cooperative Group. A 14-Month Randomized Clinical Trial of Treatment Strategies for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry, 1999. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.56.1...

Mindset

Fully Occupy Your Waking Moments with positive thoughts and constructive activities.

Multiple Sclerosis Motivation

 Living with MS means waking up each day not knowing exactly how your body will show up. So be kind to yourself on the hard days. Your worth is not measured by productivity, energy, or how “normal” you appear. You are still you, still valuable, still enough.

- The National MS Society

https://x.com/mssociety/status/2013275073856024816/video/1

Thought for 11s

The National MS Society's post delivers an affirming message on self-compassion for unpredictable MS symptoms, paired with a 60-second video reenacting over 20 common issues like Lhermitte's sign, tremors, fatigue, brain fog, optic neuritis, and muscle weakness to educate viewers visually.

Multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease damaging the central nervous system, affects roughly 1 million U.S. adults per 2023 CDC data, with symptoms varying daily due to factors like inflammation and nerve demyelination, as detailed in peer-reviewed studies from The Lancet Neurology.

The post's modest engagement (25 likes, 1 unrelated reply) highlights its targeted appeal to MS communities, potentially amplifying stigma reduction through humorous, relatable content that challenges productivity-focused societal norms.

- Grok

Lhermitte's sign is a brief, electric shock-like sensation that travels down the spine and often into the arms or legs, typically triggered by flexing the neck forward, such as when bending the head toward the chest. 

my.clevelandclinic.org

 It's also known as the barber chair phenomenon, referencing the feeling of an electrical buzz similar to a haircut gone wrong. 

en.wikipedia.org

 The sensation usually lasts only a few seconds and is described as sharp, acute, or paroxysmal pain, though it's more of a discomfort than actual harm to the body. 

mssociety.org.uk

This symptom arises from damage or irritation to the sensory pathways in the dorsal columns of the cervical spinal cord, often due to demyelination, where the protective myelin sheath around nerves is stripped away. 

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 It's most commonly associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), but can also occur in other conditions like vitamin B12 deficiency, cervical spondylosis, spinal cord tumors, or even as a side effect of radiation therapy in oncology patients. 

sciencedirect.com

 Factors like fatigue, overheating, or sudden neck movements can make it more likely to occur in susceptible individuals. 

webmd.com

Diagnosis typically involves a physical exam where the doctor reproduces the sign by having the patient flex their neck, combined with medical history and imaging like MRI to identify underlying issues in the spinal cord. 

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 Treatment focuses on addressing the root cause—such as disease-modifying therapies for MS—rather than the sign itself, though medications for neuropathic pain (like anticonvulsants or antidepressants) may help manage discomfort if it's frequent. 

my.clevelandclinic.org

 In many cases, it resolves on its own as the underlying condition improves. 

mstrust.org.uk

 - Grok

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."

- Mark Twain

Overview of the Central Nervous System (CNS)

Overview of the Central Nervous System (CNS)

In this video, Dr Mike outlines the structures and functions of the central nervous system.

This includes:

1. Cerebrum (temporal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, and frontal lobe)

2. Cerebellum (tone, balance, posture)

3. Brain stem (cranial nerves and multiple reflexes)

4. Spinal cord (spinal nerves)

https://youtu.be/Qh6A1neljbI?si=25PuKQTqzow-1zic