John T. McCarthy, M.D.

Effects of MPH-OROS on the Organizational, Time Management, and Planning Behaviors of Children With ADHD
Abikoff, Howard; Nissley-Tsiopinis, Jenelle; Gallagher, Richard; Zambenedetti, Maurizio; Seyffert, Michael; Boorady, Roy; McCarthy, John
2009 Feb;48(2):166-175, Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
OBJECTIVE:: To evaluate the effects of stimulant medication on organizational, time management, and planning (OTMP) in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and ascertain whether OTMP is normalized with medication. METHOD:: Participants included 19 stimulant-naive children with ADHD (aged 8-13 years) and impaired OTMP functioning, defined as greater than 1 SD below norms on the Children's Organizational Skills Scale. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design, with 4 weeks of each condition, evaluated medication (methylphenidate-osmotic-release oral system [MPH-OROS]) effects on OTMP, based on the parent and teacher versions of the Children's Organizational Skills Scale. The parent and teacher Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham, Version IV, rating scales assessed ADHD symptoms. 'Not impaired' in OTMP was defined as no longer meeting study entry criteria, and 'not impaired' in ADHD symptoms was defined as having mean Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham, Version IV, scores of </=1.0. RESULTS:: MPH-OROS significantly improved children's OTMP behaviors. These improvements were correlated with significant reductions in ADHD symptoms. However, most of the children (61%) continued to show significant OTMP impairments on MPH-OROS. CONCLUSIONS:: The MPH-OROS reduced children's OTMP deficits, and these improvements were associated with improvements in ADHD symptoms. Some children remained impaired in OTMP even after effective stimulant treatment of ADHD symptoms. These youngsters may require other treatments that target OTMP deficits
— id: 96444, year: 2009, vol: 48, page: 166, stat: Journal Article,

Behavioral effects of levetiracetam mitigated by pyridoxine
Davis, Glen P; McCarthy, John T; Magill, David B; Coffey, Barbara
2009 Apr;19(2):209-211, Journal of child & adolescent psychopharmacology
— id: 101295, year: 2009, vol: 19, page: 209, stat: Journal Article,

Review of Look me in the eye: My life with Asperger's
Lopez-Cohen, Gwen; McCarthy, John
2008 ;47(5):606-607, Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Reviews the book, Look me in the eye: My life with Asperger's by John Elder Robison (2007). is an engaging book that distinguishes itself from recently released books by and about individuals with Asperger disorder. Robison recounts his childhood, adolescence, and adult years with the sort of narrative description that a cartographer might use to describe a landscape. His adventures share commonalities with the universal developmental journey from childhood to adulthood. This book is Robison's academic and social struggles against the backdrop of his dysfunctional family. This book offers an inspiring perspective on how developmental differences can translate into tremendous success for clinicians who work with people who struggle with interpersonal skills.
— id: 122635, year: 2008, vol: 47, page: 606, stat: Journal Article,

Review of Scattered minds: Hope and help for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
McCarthy, John
2007 ;46(4):548-549 Apr, Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Reviews the book, Scattered Minds: Hope and Help for Adults With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder by Lenard Adler and Mari Florence (2006). The authors have written a nuts-and-bolts primer on adult ADHD for anyone who wants to know more about this relatively common condition. Many people do not know they have this disorder because they were not diagnosed as kids and their lives are in disarray. These are the people Adler is trying to reach through his book, one that contains basic straightforward information about adult ADHD for professionals and patients alike. Ever the optimist, Adler emphasizes the need for early diagnosis and treatment, a familiar approach for those of us who evaluate and treat children and adolescents. It is a slender book that cuts to the chase, something that is sure to appeal to most readers, especially those with ADHD. His book does, however, contain a few nonfatal irritants. The neuroimaging figures that the authors cite were reprinted in black and white and lack the dramatic clarity color provided in contrasting the brains of subjects with ADHD from normal controls as they appeared in the original articles in Biological Psychiatry. There were a few editorial glitches that should be corrected in future editions. Although both a strength and a weakness, the authors' take-home messages might be construed as repetitious but necessary for any would-be ADHD adult to absorb.
— id: 71914, year: 2007, vol: 46, page: 548, stat: Journal Article,