The Causes of ADHD...
No one really knows for sure what causes ADHD, although it is certain that there is a strong genetic link.Research has been conducted for many years and there is a distinct relationship between ADHD and the brain structure, dopamine and nor epinephrine, and parts of the brain that control impulse and attention. Some researchers believe that ADHD is related to mothers who smoked, drank alcohol, or abused drugs while they were pregnant. There also may be a relationship in ADHD and lead exposure.
For years, it was thought that there was a relationship between diet and ADHD, believing that too much sugar in ones diet would result in ADHD. That link was dismissed as untrue.
The mystery in determining the exact cause of ADHD is that each case is different which leads doctors and researchers to believe that there could be multiple factors causing this disorder. There has been a lot of research on the brain activity and ADHD and research has shown that people with ADHD do have less activity and blood flow to certain parts of the brain than someone without ADHD.
The parts of the brain that are responsible for behavior, attention, and controlling mood are the prefrontal cortex, the basil ganglia, and the cerebellum and these are the parts of the brain that are mainly affected.
Other evidence indicates that neurotransmitters play a large role in ADHD, especially dopamine. When certain neurotransmitters are off whack the brain functions inefficiently this causes many problems that are also related to ADHD. The problems that stem from this are the same problems that are caused by ADHD, inattention, hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and so on.
There has been some research also conducted that indicates there may be some other risk factors that cause ADHD such as watching too much TV, growing up in an unloving and insecure environment, and a poor diet.
It is possible, according to some researchers that watching too much TV can cause the brain to need constant stimulation as watching TV stimulates the brain. It is also possible that if a child is raised in a home where there is no parent/child bonding and there is a lack of emotional attachment, there may be a link to ADHD. A poor diet that lacks in nutrition, food allergies, infant malnutrition, insufficient omega-3 fatty acids, and other links to diet might also contribute to ADHD.
None of these suggestions have been more than experimental and speculative although there have been some interesting factors that have embraced them. Other studies state that there is no relationship between any of the following and ADHD: poor parenting, family problems, bad teachers, ineffective schools, too much TV, refines sugar, or food allergies. There has also been some research conducted on the relationship between glucose, the brain and ADHD.
Evidence has shown a stronger link between low levels of glucose in the brain and inattention. So many studies and clinical trials have been conducted throughout the years and although there are definite relationships with many of these various factors, there are also some that there is no depth to at all.
