New Study on ADHD
It is still not clear what causes ADHD. I’m asked this question so often and hope that someday we can answer it definitively. Meanwhile I would like to pass along what facts are available. We do know ADHD is a neurobiological condition and that genetics are are important factor. Researchers suspect that the brain neurotransmitter dopamine plays a role in the condition since many of the medications used to treat ADHD increase dopamine levels in certain areas of the brain. Prior studies have also shown higher than normal levels of dopamine transporter in a part of the brain called the striatum. However, newly released results from a brain-imaging study done in collaboration with Mt Sinai School of Medicine in New York, indicate that high levels of dopamine transporter did NOT correlate with ADD symptoms. In otherwords, the results are contradictory. That does not imply dopamine is not involved in symptoms of ADHD, but does suggest that dopamine transporter levels alone cannot account for symptoms of ADHD.
Subjects in this study had never received medication for their ADHD symptoms. Results will be published in an upcoming article in the journal called Neuroimage and a summary can be viewed at the address below. http://www.playfuls.com/news_003113_ADHD_Study_Results_Are_Released.html
Last 5 posts by Dr. Theresa Cerulli
- American Heart Association Recommends EKG's - April 27th, 2008
- Prescribing Decisions May Depend on Genetic Tests - April 7th, 2008
- New Guidelines for Mental Health Treatment in Pre-schoolers - March 17th, 2008
- ADHD and Sleep - March 9th, 2008
- Through the Years with ADHD - February 17th, 2008