The History of ADHD
Popular belief says that ADHD is a recently discovered condition. You may be surprised to learn that the history of ADHD dates back to the late 1700s. Since then there have been countless studies on the disorder.
In 1798, Scottish-born physician and author Sir Alexander Crichton wrote about a mental state associated with inattention. He observed problems in school, restlessness, and inability to pay attention at a normal functioning level. He described all the essential features of the inattentive subtype of ADHD. He wrote about a mental restlessness that is onset in the early stages of development, and has a tendency to diminish with age. Crichton also observed children being distracted by sounds that are normally ignored by others. These are all common symptoms we now associate with ADHD.
In 1845, German psychologist Dr. Heinrich Hoffmann wrote a children's story about a boy named "Fidgety Phillip." One of the earliest written descriptions of ADHD. Fidgety Phillip is characterized by his wild behavior. At the dinner table he can't sit still, and his parents express their frustration with his behavior (sound familiar?). In 1902 Dr. Hoffmann published a series of lectures about impulsive behavior in children. He attributed the behavioral problems to genetics, not environment.
In 1885, a Japanese chemist named Nagayoshi Nagal isolated ephedrine from a plant. Its synthetic derivatives are amphetamine and methamphetamine. In 1887, amphetamine was synthesized at the Humboldt University in Berlin by Lazar Edelanu. Amphetamine is used to treat ADHD.
Starting in 1928, benzedrine was marketed in the USA by Smith, Kline, & French in the form of inhalers. Benzedrine is a racemic mixture of amphetamine.
In 1937, Charles Bradley published a landmark article called The Behavior of Children Receiving Benzedrine. In his study he noted spectacular improvement in behavior problem children who were given benzedrine. More positive effects of benzedrine in children were reported by Molitch and Sullivan in 1937.
In 1944, Leandro Pannizon synthesized methylphenidate while working for CIBA. CIBA patented it in 1954 and introduced it in Germany and Switzerland. They called it "Ritaline."
In 1968 the DSM II (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) called the disorder "hyperkinetic reaction of childhood," even though they knew it didn't always include hyperactivity. Then in 1980, the DSM III defined Attention Deficit Disorder, with or without hyperactivity. This is where ADD and ADHD were first distinguished. Inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity were all listed as essential features.
The DSM III received a revision in 1987 resulting in the expiration of the term ADD. In 1994, the DSM IV was published. It recognized three subtypes of ADHD including the predominantly inattentive type (without hyperactivity) formerly called ADD.
