This episode explores Phenylketonuria & Child Development, with our guest Dr. Adele Diamond. We discuss her previous discoveries regarding the disease PKU, research on children with ADHD, as well as her current work exploring three core executive functions. 

Episode Notes: Piaget's A-not-B task was developed in 1935, the same year as the delayed response task was developed. The main difference between these tasks is that in delayed response, the reward that is hidden on each trial is randomly determined, whereas in A-not-B the reward is always hidden on the same side until the participant is correct twice in a row, then the hiding place is switched to the other side. Dr. Diamond additionally would like to add that there is a connection between her PKU work and ADHD work, because both are based on the dopamine system in the prefrontal cortex having unique properties. In PKU, it is that the PFC dopamine systems turn over dopamine at a faster rate. In ADHD, the PFC dopamine system has a dearth of the dopamine transporter. 

For more information on the Piaget A-not-B task, delayed response task, and PKU (pdf)

For information on special properties of the PFC dopamine system underlying her PKU and ADHD work: For Neuroscientists: (pdf); For the General Public: (pdf)