Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Pharmacological Intervention and Symptomology in Childhood and Adolescence
Seibert Lab
St. Alphonsus Medical Center & Physician Research
Boise, ID
My curiosity of the science underlying sleep led me to research the neurology, psychology, and pharmaceutical intervention of sleep disorders within the pediatric population. To characterize sleep quality, I gathered and analyzed data from nocturnal polysomnograms, medical charts, and self-report questionnaires. I found a significant correlation between abnormal sleep architecture and time spent in REM. In addition, psychological disturbances such as moodiness, impulsivity, and difficulty concentration were reported. Furthermore, I observed a trend in the number of pharmaceutical prescriptions in adolescents with diagnosed sleep disorders. Curious of the relationship between medication and sleep hygiene, I probed further into the physiology of those diagnosed with ADHD and found significant respiratory dysfunction. This impaired sleep quality further exacerbated the psychological, behavioral, or emotional condition that prompted the medication. This research drove me to passionately present this work at two conferences; Rocky Mountain Psychological Association and Western Psychological Association. Lastly, this research started a fire within me and ignited a deep desire to encourage self-initiated behavioral changes in conjunction with pharmaceutical intervention.
Figure: Sleep disorders within the pediatric population. (A) Using nocturnal polysomnogram data, abnormal sleep architecture significantly correlated with time spent in REM and poor sleep efficiency. Significant correlations were also found between psychological disturbances and time spent in REM and time asleep (n=55). (B) Prescribed medication in 2-16 year olds (N= 28). Y-axis denotes percent of sample; X-axis denotes number of prescriptions (21% had 0, 57% had 1-3, 13.3% had 4-7, 5.3% had 8-11, and 2.6% had 12 or more). (C) Reported mental health in adolescents (n=55). Y-axis denotes percent of sample, X-axis denotes psychological attributes (80% had concerns for their well-being, 73.9% reported feeling irritable, 59.1% and 57.1% felt anxiety and stressed, while 31.8% feeling depressed, with 22.2% unable to focus. (D). Comparisons between those diagnosed with ADHD (N=10) and those undiagnosed with ADHD (N=17) demonstrated significant differences in respiratory functioning during sleep; increased rates of sleep apnea, snoring, and difficulty breathing were found in those diagnosed and treated for ADHD.
Oral presentation at Rocky Mountain Psychological Association Conference
Elora Williams, Colleen Poulton, Rachel Aguilar, Christian Zimmerman, M.D., FAANS, FACS, MBA, Pennie S. Seibert, PhD