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No evidence ADHD is being over-diagnosed, say experts (www.cam.ac.uk)
submitted 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) by to c/science@lemmy.world
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Research.

Overdiagnosis is not a problem, but misdiagnosis may be as people are driven into the private sector by long waits, and sadly, missed diagnoses remain common —Tamsin Ford

Experts are warning that far from being over-diagnosed, people with ADHD are waiting too long for assessment, support and treatment.

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[–] 8 points 7 months ago (4 children)

Wait, is there an actual chance to "see" ADHD in an MRI image? I was under the impression that we can't do that (yet) and the only way to diagnose was through questionnaires, attention testing and such. That's what I was told by the doctor who ultimately diagnosed me two years ago

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  • [–] 9 points 7 months ago

    Wait, is there an actual chance to "see" ADHD in an MRI image?

    Only fMRI, which is different, and even more expensive. It's basically the same as asking you a bunch of questions but then seeing which parts light up. Brain can't lie.

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  • [–] 8 points 7 months ago* (2 children)

    Like @yucandu@lemmy.world said, it would need to be an fMRI, which is primarily used in research as far as I know. And while it alone could not tell you definitively "this person has ADHD," it could help rule out other conditions (like TBI, which can also present similar to ADHD). Ultimately, your doctor is right that a standard MRI cannot diagnose it.

    I like to combine the checklist with interviews (like DIVA, Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in Adults) and computerized continuous performance tests, like QBTest. Of course, there is also a lot of observation and sometimes even asking humorous questions, like "Do you have The Chair^TM^ at home?"

    The Chair^TM^

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