DENTON (UNT), Texas — The University of North Texas has received $268,000 from a private corporation to study a dietary supplement that could reduce symptoms of Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder in elementary school-age children.

Dr. Patricia Kaminski, associate professor of psychology, and Dr. Trent Petrie, professor of psychology, will test the use of the supplement, a combination of amino acids and B vitamins, in approximately 200 third- through fifth-graders at 11 elementary schools in the Denton Independent School District.

Children with ADHD, a neurobehavioral developmental disorder, have trouble concentrating in school, may have significant difficulty sitting still and often have high levels of impulsiveness, which interferes in their learning and relationships with others. Up to 7 percent of elementary school-age children have the disorder, which occurs more than twice as much in boys as in girls.

Kaminski, an ADHD researcher, said that although Ritalin, Adderall, Strattera and other medications are common and often effective treatments for the disorder, the success rates of these drugs are not 100 percent, and many parents worry about side effects and their children being on the medication for long periods of time.

Although the exact cause of ADHD is not known, research shows that some children with ADHD are born with genetic differences that affect their neurotransmitters, the brain’s chemical messengers, Kaminski said.

Some medications for ADHD help by increasing neurotransmitter activity, especially in the front part of the brain. Amino acids, which are classified as dietary supplements because they are found in all proteins, may have a role in the treatment of ADHD because the body uses them to make neurotransmitters.

“A group of clinicians in Dallas-Fort Worth has been using amino acids in the treatment of children with ADHD, and have reported improvement in the children’s functioning. But there have been no controlled studies of the effectiveness of amino acids in treating ADHD,” Kaminski said.

She adds that because the UNT Psychology Clinic provides more neuropsychological evaluations for ADHD than any other behavioral disorder, the study “is a good fit for us.”

Petrie said children who have been previously diagnosed with ADHD, or whose parents believe they may have ADHD, may qualify for the study, regardless of whether or not they are currently taking ADHD medication or have taken it in the past.

In Phase I of the study, which has already begun, parents register at the study’s web site, http://web3.unt.edu/adhdstudy. They then provide information that will be used to determine their child’s eligibility for the study. They will also answer questionnaires that will help the researchers determine an initial diagnosis for their child.

Children who are eligible for the study will receive free diagnostic assessments at the UNT Psychology Clinic under Phase II. The assessments will determine if the children will qualify for Phase III, which involves testing the effectiveness of the amino acid and B vitamin supplements. Children will take the supplements in the form of small, low-calorie cookies.

“As long as a child’s doctor approves, the cookies can be taken along with any medication that has already been prescribed for ADHD, but a child who is doing well on his or her medication may not be eligible for the study,” Kaminski said.

During Phase III, which begins in January, the children will eat the supplement cookies twice a day for 14 weeks.

Phase III will also include a placebo group. Kaminski said that in keeping with the best type of scientific methodology, only one researcher will know which children are taking placebo cookies and which are taking amino acid cookies, and this researcher will not directly interact with the study participants and have access to their data.

The researchers will assess the children’s behavior and performance on a variety of cognitive tests before the children begin taking the supplements, six to seven weeks after they begin taking them, and after they complete the 14 weeks. The tests will be conducted at the UNT Psychology Clinic.

Petrie said school nurses will oversee the supplement regimen, and teachers will observe the children’s behavior and complete questionnaires during the 14 weeks of Phase III. Parents will also complete checklists of their children’s ADHD symptoms each week.

“The teachers and school nurses will be key in running this study. The university could not do the study, which could be life changing for the children of Denton, without the cooperation of the school district,” he said.

Each child who completes the 14 weeks of supplements will receive a $20 gift card and be eligible for a drawing for a $100 gift card. Parents will receive a summary report of their children’s diagnostic evaluation and four additional weeks of free supplements at the end of the study if they wish.   

 Parents can volunteer their children for the study by going to http://web3.unt.edu/adhdstudy, or contacting Kaminski or Petrie at 940-369-6ADD (6233) or at adhdstudy@unt.edu.