“That work has helped the field understand that certain conditions once viewed as controversial…are valid diagnoses.”

In reviewing my highly cited papers I see several reasons why others may have cited them. Some of the papers provide reviews of the literature and, hopefully, have helped others understand the complexities of that literature and what is needed to move the field forward. Others present new data that may have encouraged others to do similar work. A third set of papers addressed clinical controversies. They were likely cited because of the many papers generated by such controversies.

As a graduate student I was impressed with the potential for the scientific method, appropriately applied, to provide useful answers to difficult questions. There are many research topics available and I’ve sought out those that would provide answers which would lead to meaningful advances in our understanding of mental disorders and the care of those afflicted with these disorders.

Some of my work has focused on using research paradigms to assess the validity of psychiatric diagnoses. That work has helped the field understand that certain conditions once viewed as controversial (e.g., depression and bipolar disorder in children or ADHD in adults) are valid diagnoses. Other work has focused on clarifying the genetics of ADHD. That work has shown how ADHD is a heterogeneous disorder and has also used methods of meta-analysis to demonstrate that specific genes are involved in ADHD. I have also published papers describing new methods of analysis for psychopharmacologic studies that may have been useful for others.

ADHD research has proceeded at an exponential pace over the last 20 years. I expect this to continue given the availability of new tools in neuroscience and the development of new medications for the disorder.

Diagnostic studies will likely further clarify the best ways to diagnose bipolar disorder in the presence of ADHD. They will also help the field move toward improved, developmentally sensitive diagnostic criteria for adult ADHD. I expect psychopharmacologic studies to clarify the full range of effectiveness and adverse outcomes for the new medications we expect to be available. Studies of psychosocial treatments are needed to better understand which patients will benefit most. On the neuroscience front I expect that we will learn much from brain imaging studies about the brain abnormalities underlying ADHD and also expect that new genes will be discovered. These findings should set the field on a path towards discovering new, more efficacious treatments for ADHD.

Stephen V. Faraone, Ph.D.
SUNY Upstate Medical University
Syracuse, NY, USA