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Australian IT, 11/11/03 DATABASE TO FIGHT BRAIN DISORDERS by Karen Dearne

	Researchers in Australia are developing a simple test for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that will help doctors accurately diagnose the condition.

	The test -- based on computerized measurement of brain functioning matched against a large database -- will identify the information processing systems at fault, helping doctors choose the best treatment for each patient.

	The National ADHD Consortium -- formed by scientists and doctors from Swinburne University's Brain Sciences Institute in Victoria, the Children's Hospital at Westmead and Sydney University in NSW, and Flinders University and children's hospital in South Australia -- expects to establish reliable markers of ADHD within 18 months.

	"We will study more than 200 children aged between six and 18 years who have been diagnosed with ADHD in these three states over the next year or so," National ADHD Consortium co-ordinator Dr. Richard Clark says.

	"The project brings together measurement of brain function, bodily function and behaviour for the first time," according to Clark. "Previously each was investigated in isolation. This will allow us to achieve an unprecedented integrated assessment of diagnostic and treatment markers. The knowledge we obtain and the assessment tools we develop will help the medical community to make better treatment decisions."

	The study is only possible due to advances in computing, particularly the neuroinformatics approach developed by the Brain Resource Company in Sydney, which operates a franchised international database that provides evidence-based standard profiles of brain function and cognition.

	Researchers are using the database for a wide range of neurological and mental health studies, including dementia, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia and depression.

	BRC has developed software to measure brain and body function simultaneously for accurate profiling of individual responses to stimuli under test conditions.

	It has created a fully automated series of cognitive performance tests that provide standard results in 10 BRC laboratories worldwide. The database continues to grow as standard clinical information is added, providing a unique resource for research in the new field of evidence-based, or information-based, medicine.

	In the ADHD study, BRC's software will measure how quickly and how well a person processes information, and how brain functioning is affected by distractions. Psychometric tools measure behavioural difficulties, including attention span, memory and executive function.

	IBM Life Sciences was quick to recognise the potential of BRC's technology, and signed a partnership with it earlier this year. BRC uses IBM platforms, particularly the DB2 Universal Database -- a high-speed system that manages huge volumes of data and complex processes.

	IBM has provided hardware and data management tools to support the ADHD study, as well as its new Countertop Kiosk system, featuring Touch Screen technology.

	Developed in conjunction with BRC, the interface captures responses from users who are asked to make selections or perform tasks by touching the screen.

	A world-first test for ADHD is expected to end controversy that has swirled around the disorder for more than 20 years. Although the condition was first identified more than 100 years ago, the use of stimulant medication such as Ritalin to improve brain functioning has attracted public concern.

	"Doctors will be able to profile ADHD more reliably and decide which children should -- or should not -- be given medication," says Dr. Clark. "This will also help parents and teachers. ADHD is a very common diagnosis among children -- about one in 10 children have the disorder to a greater or lesser degree."

	Clark says the trademark poor attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior affects a child's social and educational development.

	Sue Ashkar, whose 11-year-old son, Jacob, has ADHD, has welcomed the chance to take part in the study.

	"When Jacob was diagnosed four years ago, we found it hard to accept that the doctor could come to that conclusion after a half-hour appointment," she says. "We went searching for other answers, and were told he had learning difficulties that could be fixed at school. But Jacob fell behind."

	Still in Grade 5, Jacob is now taking Ritalin. His mother says his schoolwork is improving and he is happier.

	"We wish we'd had the option of a clinical test four years ago," Ashkar says. "Putting a child on medication is a big concern for parents. A clinical test will give assurance that you're not just taking someone's word for it -- that ADHD can be clinically proven."

	Copyright 2003 News Limited