ADHD: Not a Behavioral Problem but a Brain Disorder
Around the world, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, more commonly known as ADHD, affects more than one in 20 children and young adults, and of those people, approximately two-thirds of the people diagnosed with ADHD will continue to have persistent symptoms as adults. Some of the symptoms of ADHD, which affects more people than one might initially assume, include inattention, acting impulsively, and hyperactivity. These symptoms also vary depending on the person. Additionally, most neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, or schizophrenia, reflect a change in the structure of certain parts of the brain. Such changes can be a either a reduction or enlargement of a specific region of the brain. It could even be a biochemical or electrical difference in the brain as opposed to healthy, control subjects. As a result, scientists with the Radboud University Medical Center decided to study ADHD’s effect on brain structure and functionality in patients to discover if ADHD could be classified as a neurological disorder.
These scientists have since published their study that confirms that there are indeed differences in the brain structures of patients with ADHD from control patients, particularly in five specific areas of the brain: the caudate nucleus, the putamen, the nucleus accumbens, the amygdala, and the hippocampus. The study executed by Radboud University encompassed the largest study on the brains of patients with ADHD, with over 3,200 people being examined. These various areas of the brain differed in size so minutely, in the range of a few percentage, that a large sample size was required to establish the findings as statistically significant.
These scientists have since published their study that confirms that there are indeed differences in the brain structures of patients with ADHD from control patients, particularly in five specific areas of the brain: the caudate nucleus, the putamen, the nucleus accumbens, the amygdala, and the hippocampus. The study executed by Radboud University encompassed the largest study on the brains of patients with ADHD, with over 3,200 people being examined. These various areas of the brain differed in size so minutely, in the range of a few percentage, that a large sample size was required to establish the findings as statistically significant.
Image Source: affen ajlfe
Previously, scientists had thought the basal ganglia of the brain was tied to ADHD. The basal ganglia is a part of the brain that is essentially a large group of neurons and works to control motor function, execute functions and behaviors, and control emotions. Disorders of the basal ganglia are typically linked to movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. Additionally, they had already considered both the caudate nucleus and the putamen for their own links to ADHD. However, the discovery of ADHD’s affecting the amygdala specifically of all the parts of the brain that were reduced in volume is critical as the amygdala helps how the body regulates emotions and how people respond to certain stimuli.
Since neurological disorders can suggest a structural change in the brain, ADHD has finally been identified and classified as one as well because of this study. This finding is a considerable accomplishment for the researchers, as, frequently, parents and teachers may consider children with ADHD simply to be lazy and unattentive. Some might assume that the environment plays a role in the onset of this disease. However, this study clarified that ADHD stems from a fundamental difference in the brains of people with this disorder. The results of these studies regarding the subtleties in the brains of those with and without ADHD may prove to be beneficial to those affected as therapies can be developed to target the specific regions in the brain responsible for ADHD.
Since neurological disorders can suggest a structural change in the brain, ADHD has finally been identified and classified as one as well because of this study. This finding is a considerable accomplishment for the researchers, as, frequently, parents and teachers may consider children with ADHD simply to be lazy and unattentive. Some might assume that the environment plays a role in the onset of this disease. However, this study clarified that ADHD stems from a fundamental difference in the brains of people with this disorder. The results of these studies regarding the subtleties in the brains of those with and without ADHD may prove to be beneficial to those affected as therapies can be developed to target the specific regions in the brain responsible for ADHD.
RELATED ARTICLES
Vertical Divider
|
Vertical Divider
|
Vertical Divider
|