ADHD is associated with abnormally low levels of the neurotransmitters transmitting between the prefrontal cortical area and the basal ganglia i.e., dopamine and noradrenaline. Dopamine is closely associated with reward centers in the brain, and also interacts with other potent neurotransmitters to regulate mood.
Why is ADHD considered a neurological condition? Brain images of children with ADHD may show differences compared to children without ADHD. For example, in some children with ADHD certain parts of the brain are smaller or less active than the brains of children without ADHD.
ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly active.
An imbalance in the transmission of dopamine in the brain may be associated with symptoms of ADHD, including inattention and impulsivity. This disruption may also interfere with the dopamine reward pathway, changing how the ADHD brain perceives reward and pleasure.
At the brain circuitry level, the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) and cortico-limbic areas are dysfunctional in individuals with ADHD.
Adults and children with ADHD display differences in their brains compared with people with typical development. They are also more likely to have other neurodevelopmental disorders. This fact points to a neurological origin for ADHD.
As you know, one trademark of ADHD is low levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine — a chemical released by nerve cells into the brain.
Research has shown that in children with ADHD, the prefrontal cortex matures more slowly than typically developing kids. It is also slightly smaller in size. Similarly, the cerebellum, hippocampus, and amygdala are also thought to be smaller in volume in kids with ADHD.
Though brain scans cannot yet reliably diagnose ADHD, some scientists are using them to identify environmental and prenatal factors that affect symptoms, and to better understand how stimulant medications trigger symptom control vs. side effects.
Sleep apnea is a common culprit that's often misdiagnosed as ADHD — and vice versa. Fortunately, researchers are devising simple tests to definitively diagnose and get kids the treatment they need.
The brain's frontal lobes, which are involved in ADHD, continue to mature until we reach age 35. In practical terms, this means that people with ADHD can expect some lessening of their symptoms over time. Many will not match the emotional maturity of a 21-year-old until their late 30's.
Executive functions have other roles which affect how someone thinks. In people with ADHD, these executive dysfunctions impact thinking in numerous ways. People with ADHD don't really think faster than people without it, but it can sometimes seem like they do.
Sugar and other high carb foods boost dopamine levels in the brain, leading us to crave them more often when dopamine levels are low. Since children with ADHD have chronically low levels of dopamine, they are more likely than other children to crave and eat sugary or carbohydrate-heavy foods.
By Dr. David Velkoff. Ring of Fire ADD is a type of ADD characterized by abnormally increased activity in multiple areas of the brain, which in individuals on qEEG brain mapping scans can appear as over activity or overstimulation.
In their analysis, the researchers compared the brain scans of the children diagnosed with ADHD to scans of those who did not have the diagnosis. The researchers found only 11 significant differences across the 79 brain measures, all indicating reductions in brain measures among participants with ADHD.
This is a great question, and the short answer is “yes.” ADHD symptoms exist on a spectrum or a continuum.
Low levels of dopamine can make you feel tired, moody, unmotivated and many other symptoms. Treatments are available for many of the medical conditions linked to low dopamine levels.
If your child's body has the right amount of dopamine, they're more likely to feel happy, alert, focused, and motivated. If they have too little of it, they might feel unmotivated, sad, and sleepy. It can also cause mood swings, memory loss, sleep issues, or concentration problems.
Stimulants — which increase dopamine levels — are often prescribed for ADHD because they help increase focus. Some common stimulants include: amphetamines, such as Adderall. methylphenidate, like Concerta and Ritalin.
Does ADHD affect IQ? A popular misconception is that all children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are naturally smarter and have a higher IQ than children without ADHD. However, there is no correlation between this condition and intelligence.
People with ADHD will have at least two or three of the following challenges: difficulty staying on task, paying attention, daydreaming or tuning out, organizational issues, and hyper-focus, which causes us to lose track of time. ADHD-ers are often highly sensitive and empathic.
The ADHD nervous system is overwhelmed by life experiences because its intensity is so high. The ADHD nervous system is rarely at rest. It wants to be engaged in something interesting and challenging. Attention is never “deficit.” It is always excessive, constantly occupied with internal reveries and engagements.
But in terms of their executive functioning and emotional maturity, they could be three years behind their chronological age, which is common with children who have ADHD. In families living with ADHD, parents tend to base their interactions and expectations on their child's expressive language and cognitive abilities.
Because of differences in the brain structure of people with ADHD, they often find it incredibly difficult to feel motivated to stay focused when the task is uninteresting or unrewarding. A person without ADHD may be just as bored, but they can marshall their motivation and focus for long enough to slog through it.