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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Mar 15.
Published in final edited form as: Postgrad Med. 2011 Sep;123(5):39–49. doi: 10.3810/pgm.2011.09.2458

Table 1.

Proposed Studies to Evaluate the Potential Role of Chronic Sugar Intake in the Pathogenesis of ADHD

  1. Reevaluate the relationship between chronic excessive intake of sugar in childhood and later development of ADHD and binge eating.

  2. Determine if individuals with low sugar ingestion in childhood are relatively protected from developing ADHD.

  3. Evaluate the effect of chronic excessive sugar intake on development of ADHD-like symptoms in experimental animals.

  4. Conduct studies to determine the effect of fructose versus glucose in inducing a reduction in striatal D2 receptors.

  5. Conduct studies to separate the effect of artificial sweeteners from that of nondietary sugars in inducing a long-term reduction in D2 receptors and inhibition of frontal lobe control mechanisms.

Abbreviation: ADHD, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.