This work will assess the prevalence in hard-to-treat ADHD of the ineffectiveness of the anesthetic Lidocaine.

Using a non-invasive, pain-free, taste-based approach to assess lidocaine effectiveness, the study will assess the frequency of ineffectiveness in the target population.

Inclusion Criteria: ADHD

Exclusion Criteria for both arms:

1. known adverse reactions to lidocaine
2. epilepsy, IQ <80, severe head trauma, birth weight <2270 grams, and severe autism;
3. treatment currently with potassium or potassium-elevating drugs such as renin-angiotensin-aldosterone blockers;
4. generalized anxiety disorders (but dental-specific anxiety will not be an exclusion because many of these individuals may be ones with anxiety because of painful dental experiences with lidocaine ineffectiveness);
5. mouth sores;
6. Ehlers Danlos syndrome, and
7. red hair.

The investigators plan to submit for publication descriptions of what was accomplished, and the evaluations as described in the study, including the incidence of lidocaine ineffectiveness in those with ADHD and in the general population.

3 months

Subjects who completed the study

on day of testing, approximately 60 minutes for clinic visit

This was an observational study without controls, as there were no controls available at the site. NeurAbilities is a clinic dedicated to treating patients with neurological diagnoses. To do statistics, the study will need to be repeated at a site that can provide controls.

The scoring of the lidocaine test is masked, using the coded identity of the tastes. The tastes will be assessed in random order. The subjects and other study personnel will be told not to discuss what the subject could or couldn't taste. Scoring will not be shared with the testing site until all testing is complete.

This is one of the last studies with an IRB for each arm and site. Hence it appears to be a single arm, but the other arms are separately registered with ClinicalTrials.gov