Notes

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects both children and adults. 1 ADHD develops when the brain and central nervous system suffer impairments related to growth and development. A person with ADHD will show varying degrees of these three behaviors: inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. 2

What causes ADHD?

It’s not clear what exactly causes ADHD, though there are factors that may increase the chances of developing the condition. While researchers haven’t identified a specific ADHD gene, lots of studies show a genetic link. It’s quite common for a person diagnosed with ADHD to have at least one close relative with the condition.9, 10 Environmental factors may also play a role. These include exposure to pesticides and lead, a brain injury, being born prematurely or with a low birth weight. 11

“The brain is essentially a huge electrical system that has multiple sub-systems that need to communicate with one another constantly to get anything done,” explains Thomas Brown, Ph.D., director of the Brown Clinic for Attention & Related Disorders in Hamden, CT. Brown is considered a leading global authority on the assessment and treatment of ADHD. In his book A New Understanding of ADHD in Children And Adults: Executive Function Impairments (Taylor and Francis Group, LLC, 2013), he explains why someone with ADHD really struggles with things like listening and completing assignments in a timely manner: The brain communicates messages through neurons in the brain. But at the end of every neuron there is a gap called a synapse. The message needs to jump between the gaps, and does this with the aid of a chemical called a neurotransmitter produced by the body. “Persons with ADHD tend not to release enough of these essential chemicals, or to release and reload them too quickly before an adequate connection has been made.” In effect, messages struggle to get where they need to go to be acted on. Medications, including stimulants and non-stimulants, help make up for these deficits by triggering the release of certain chemicals, which in turn help the neurons to communicate with each other