|
Basic InformationMore InformationTestsLatest NewsQuestions and AnswersVideosHow to Select the Best School Accommodations for Your Child with ADHDHow to Manage ADHD and AnxietyWhat You Need to Know about Students with ADHD and AnxietyADHD and Eating Tourette Syndrome and ADHD Nutrition in Support of ADHD TreatmentBehavioral Therapy: What it is and finding a therapist Project-Based Learning and ADHD Conditions May Mimic ADHDDepartment of Education Guidance Broadens Understanding of 504 Rights for Kids with ADHD Part I Treating ADHD in the African American CommunityHow to Build Self-Motivation in Teens with ADHDGoal Setting and Keeping for the ADHD BrainNeurofeedback Treatment for ADHDADHD in Preschoolers: What to Look For and How to HelpFYI on ADHD Evaluations Teaching Grit, Perseverance and Frustration Tolerance to Students with ADHD Does my Child Have ADHD? How to Start Eating Well When You Have ADHD 5 Solutions for Common ADHD Social StrugglesIs My High School Student Ready for College? (And Is My College Student Ready to Go Back?) Understanding and Applying the Science of Time ManagementImprove Homework Time with Strategies That Work For ADHD Student Voices: What Really Matters to Young Adults With Learning and Attention Issues 5 Ways Nutrition can Impact ADHD Symptoms 3 Tips for Adjusting to a New Diagnosis of ADHDCreating the Best Learning Environment for Students with ADHD ADHD & Executive FunctioningDepartment of Education Guidance Broadens Understanding of 504 Rights for Kids with ADHD Part II The Choice is in the Details: Medication Options for ADHDCouples with ADHD: Creating Caring Connection amid the ChaosDisclosure and Workplace Accommodations for Individuals With ADHDA Summer At CampSelf-Advocacy Tips For Teens With ADHDADHD: Signs, Symptoms, ResearchADHD & Risk of Adult Drug UseHealth and Life Expectancy in ADHDFocus on ADHDPediatrics: ADHD and Food Allergies ADHD TreatmentADHD: It's a Family AffairDoes Your Child Have ADHD?ADHD in ChildrenLiving with ADHDRise in ADHD Cases in ChildrenWhy is Dating Difficult When You Have ADHDVideo Games, Screens, and ADHD A Potent MixAttention Deficit Hyperactivity DisorderAsk the Expert Educator Edition: ADHD & Executive FunctioningAsk the Expert - Academic Evaluations - What Parents Need to Know ADHD and Sibling RelationshipsMedication Treatment for ADHD Using Time Out Treating Childhood ADHD ADHD-friendly Summer Family FUNdamentals Preparing Older Teens for the Road Ahead Tips for Teachers: Tailoring homework to make a difference Your Active Preschooler: Could it be ADHD? A Pattern of Struggles: ADHD and the Older Adult Tips for Teachers: Creating a positive dialogue with parents of students with ADHD Helping Parents & Kids Understand the Social & Emotional Aspects of ADHDSocial and Emotional Concerns of Children with ADHD: Strategies to Help Holiday Gifts for Children with ADHDBehavior Management and Combined Treatment for Children with ADHD Setting Realistic School Expectations for Students with ADHD On Their Own: Helping College Students with ADHD Children's Communication Challenges: Is it Attention, Language or Both? Out-of-School: Parenting During the Summer ADHD in the Workplace: Finding Success Emotions and Motivation in ADHDThe Role of Medication in Managing Children's ADHD Symptoms Top Tips for Combating Stigma and Addressing Myths about ADHD Facts and Myths about ADHD What To Do If Your Child Has ADHD? How Common is ADHD? Children, Meds, and Heart Safety: A Tale of ADHD and Public Health ADHD & Your Child’s Transition to CollegeYour Teen with ADHD: Challenges and Strategies for SuccessAsk the Expert - No more homework battles A Frontline to ADHDUnderstanding Girls with ADHD What is ADHD? What To Do When Your Child With ADHD is BulliedStop the Chaos! Tips for Creating a Peaceful Household When Mom has ADHDIs It ADHD?Ask the Expert - What else can I do? Complementary approaches to ADHD treatment All in a row: Getting your kids with ADHD organized Your Student With ADHD Was Admitted to College, Now what? Evidence-based treatment for ADHD in young children Home life when Mom or Dad has ADHD: Succeeding with your family How does technology affect ADHD? Diagnosing ADHD Helping Your Child Successfully Handle Change Recognizing challenging behaviors in young children: Could it be ADHD? Classroom Managment Supports for ADHD Behaviors in Preschool Settings Getting through to your teenager with ADHD What Everyone Should Know about ADHD Make Learning Exciting: Apps for Executive Functioning Teenagers, ADHD, and Substance Abuse Past Procrastination -- Get Your Kids Organized, Focused and MotivatedAsk the Expert: Late, Lost, and Unprepared: How to Help Your Child with Executive Functioning LinksBook Reviews |
| |
Causes of ADHD - GeneticsMargaret V. Austin, Ph.D., edited by C. E. Zupanick, Psy.D.What Causes ADHD?
Researchers investigate the causes and cures of many diseases and disorders. Thus, ongoing ADHD research has attempted to answer the question, "What causes ADHD?" Because of this research, we now know a great deal more about ADHD than we did 10 years ago (See section on New and Exciting Brain Research). Despite this large body of research, the specific cause of this disorder remains uncertain.
The vast majority of researchers conclude that ADHD is primarily a neurological or brain-based disorder. It is either present at birth, or it develops early on in childhood. Although our everyday surroundings can affect the severity of symptoms, these environmental factors do not seem to be the primary cause of the disorder.
Is ADHD inherited and caused by genetics?
Research has established that genetics play a powerful role in many behavioral symptoms. These include behavioral symptoms observed in ADHD: impulsiveness, hyperactivity, and inattention. The estimated heritability of ADHD (i.e., the proportion of a trait that can be attributed to genetics) ranges from 75 to 91%. This does not mean a parent of an ADHD child must have ADHD. It does mean that the gene for ADHD exists in the family line of one of the biological parents. The specific gene has not yet been identified.
Twin studies support a genetic basis for ADHD. Concordance rates (the occurrence of similar traits) are higher among identical twins (58-82%) than fraternal twins (31%-38%). (Martin, Scourfield, & McGuffin, 2002). Interestingly, when one twin has ADHD, but the other does not, the 'normal' twin is still more likely to have problems with impulse control. Although genetics play a key role in ADHD, the specific genes have not yet been identified.
While twin studies provide the strongest evidence of a genetic influence, studies of brain chemistry lend further support. These studies investigate what happens in the brain when people take medications used to treat ADHD symptoms. Stimulant drugs increase brain activity. Initially, experts thought ADHD was a result of an overactive brain. Therefore, it seemed counter-intuitive to give stimulant drugs to someone who has problems with inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. The unexpected, calming effect of these drugs baffled experts. To explain this paradox, experts theorized that stimulant medication must have some unique and opposite effect on children with ADHD.
It turns out that ADHD is not a result of an overactive brain as once assumed. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Research has determined that ADHD is actually a result of reduced brain functioning (particularly frontal lobe) and decreased levels dopamine. Dopamine is a naturally occurring chemical in the brain that creates sensations of arousal and pleasure. In other words, children with ADHD have cognitive 'sluggishness,' or a slower thinking process than their peers. In children with ADHD, stimulants raise the brain activity to a level more comparable to their peers. In people with ADHD, stimulants also increase their ability to screen out irrelevant stimuli, control impulsive behavior, and to focus on the designated task.
Can parents help prevent ADHD in their children?
The short answer is no. Parents cannot 'prevent' ADHD any more than they can prevent their hair color: It's genetic. However, there are many things caregivers and families can do to enable the success of their ADHD children.
That said, there are ways to help children to do their best. Since complications of pregnancy have been linked to ADHD, good prenatal care is a great way to start looking after your child's health. Eat healthy, avoid alcohol and drugs, and see your doctor regularly to make sure you are doing everything within your power to give your baby a healthy start in life.
Are there other causes of ADHD?
ADHD is recognized as a genetic condition that is passed from parents to children. As no one can choose their genetics, there is nothing parents can do to prevent ADHD. However, caregivers and teachers can do things than can lessen the severity of ADHD symptoms. Likewise, various situational factors can worsen ADHD, or create similar symptoms in people without the disorder. For instance, a calm, quiet environment promotes concentration while a noisy, chaotic location diminishes our ability to focus on any one thing.
Do prenatal and postnatal factors affect ADHD?
The root causes of ADHD are biological. Nonetheless, certain factors may increase the severity of symptoms. These are: prenatal and perinatal complications (e.g., low birth weight, fetal distress); prenatal alcohol or tobacco exposure; lead poisoning and pesticides; moderate to severe protein deficiency; head injuries that involve the frontal lobe; allergies; abuse or other violent trauma. These stressors must be examined more fully to determine their exact connection, if any, to ADHD.
|