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Opinion | In Praise of A.D.H.D. (Published 2018)

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The disorder can be an asset in our frenetic world.

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Truths about the ADHD brain that most people don't understand.

Brain scientists have found that deficiencies in specific neurotransmitters underlie many common disorders, including anxiety, mood disorders, anger-control problems, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

ADHD was the first disorder found to be the result of a deficiency of a specific neurotransmitter - in this case, norepinephrine. In this video, learn more about how the unique ADHD nervous system functions.

The Neuroscience of the ADHD Brain

ADHD brains have low levels of a neurotransmitter called norepinephrine. Norepinephrine is linked arm-in-arm with dopamine.

Dopamine is the thing that helps control the brain's reward and pleasure center.

The ADHD brain has impaired activity in four functional regions of the brain.

1. Frontal Cortex

This region controls high-level functions:

2. Limbic System

This region is located deeper in the brain. It regulates our emotions and attention.

3. Basal Ganglia

A deficiency here can cause inter-brain communication & information to "short-circuit." That results in inattention or impulsivity.

4. Reticular Activating System

This is the major relay system among the many pathways that enter & leave the brain. A deficiency here can cause inattention, impulsivity, or hyperactivity.

ADHD is a complex neurological condition. For more about the ADHD brain, visit additude.de/brain.

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Updated on February 5, 2021

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Truths about the ADHD brain that most people don't understand. Brain scientists have found that deficiencies in specific neurotransmitters underlie many common disorders, including anxiety, mood disorders, anger-control problems, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. ADHD was the first disorder found to be the result of a deficiency of a specific neurotransmitter - in this case, norepinephrine.

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1. The hardest part of my little brother’s life is ADHD, better known as Attention deficit- hyperactivity disorder. Some days, getting up and going to school are immensely difficult for this ten year old kid. I have seen the way that ADHD affects my little brother in all facets of his life. Seeing how tough school and everyday tasks are for him, motivated me with the desire to learn more about ADHD.

2. I used an article from the New York Times as a starter for all of the research that was to come. This article written by Leonard Mlodinow, is called “In Praise of A.D.H.D.”, talks about a bit of the history of A.D.H.D, and also how one lives on a daily basis with the disorder.For example, “The educational psychologist Bonnie Cramond, for example, tested a group of children in Louisiana who had been determined to have A.D.H.D. and found that an astonishingly high number — 32 percent” (In Praise, Mlodinow). This was a breakthrough in research and discovery of this disorder especially because such a high number were affected.

3. I hypothesized that different components of the brain affect ADHD in different ways,

4. I expected to learn about different structures of the brain and how they’re regulate different processes in focus and concentration.

5. To begin my research I began researching different reasons for someone to have ADHD.

6. Subtopics are focus and concentration, frontal cortex, and basal ganglia

7. Most of my sources agreed with me.

8. My sources agree with that there are multiple different parts of the brain going on that can affect the disorder differently, some of them making ADHD much more severe than others.

9. Sources agree that changes in the frontal cortex occur in the brain when someone is diagnosed with ADHD.

10. My sources work together to provide the different components of ADHD.

11. It surprised me how there are so many different functions that can be possibly disrupted. Not only the frontal cortex, but also the basal ganglia and the reticular activating system.

12. I learned that ADHD is multidimensional.

13. Are there any ways of preventing this disorder from happening?

14. Are there signs to look for at a young age that may show the disorder?

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Attention ON ADHD

Hocom, R. (2019, November 12). Personal interview.

Introduces the difficulties of paying attention over a long span of time. Looks at how different things in the classroom are a distraction for him. Sometimes it's other students that are distracting, while it's simply just lack of focus that causes difficulties for him to pay attention. His favorite subject while at school is P.E. because they're in an outside environment. Points out how there are multiple things in the classroom that distracts him a lot, and is conscious of it. Talks about how different students can be distracting to him, even with the slightest things. And also has a passion for P.E. in school because they're in a different environment, not in a classroom. "It's hard to put into words how hard a school day can be sometimes for me. Some days are harder than others, but the biggest distractions are usually other students for me. The subject that I enjoy most and can stay focused doing for the longest period of time is my P.E. class because we are doing things are more interest me and I'm using my body to do the activities."

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Attention on ADHD

Eagleman, D. (2015). The brain. Vintage books, p.113.

Introduces neurons in your brain connecting to one's history of memories. Looks at how neurons communicate with each other and how they're arranged in the brain. Points out the different chemicals that provide different kinds of emotions. Chooses to discuss neurons and other components that are connected to one's emotion signals in the brain. Also addresses the different kinds of chemicals that are released that can make you feel sad, happy, or angry
"Each neuron is connected to thousands of others, and so on in a massive, loopy, intertwining network. They're all releasing chemicals that excite or depress each other. They're not necessarily next to one another; rather, they might span distant brain regions involved in smell, taste, vision, and your unique history of memories involving mint."

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Introduces different parts of the brain and the decision making process.

Eagleman, D. (2017). The Brain: The Story of You. New York: Vintage Books.