Today you will be learning about the effects of having ADHD as a child, teen, and adult. You will see how ADHD affects the brain and body.

What is ADHD?

ADHD stands for attention difficult hyperactivity disorder. This means that for people who have ADHD their brain development is different from someone who does not have ADHD. Some examples of this is people with ADHD have trouble with sitting still, paying attention, and self-control.

-ADHD affects 1 out 3 children, and affects 4% of adults over the age of 18.

How does ADHD affect the brain?

"ADHD was the first disorder found to be a result of a deficiency of a specific neurotransmitter." according to Larry Silver. that neurotransmitter is called norepinephrine which has a direct connection with dopamine. Dopamine is the reward and pleasure system in your brain.

What parts of the brain is affected?

ADHD AFFECTS FOUR PARTS OF THE BRAIN, THE FRONTAL CORTEX FOR ATTENTION, AND ORGANIZATION, THE LIMBIC SYSTEM WHICH AFFECTS EMOTIONS AND ATTENTION, THE BASAL GANGILA WHICH AFFECT INATTENTION, AND IMPULSIVITY, AND THE LAST ONE IS RETICULAR ACTIVITATING SYSTEM WHICH AFFECTS INACTIVITY, IMPULSIVITY, AND HYPERACTIVITY. As you can see these all majorly affects the person suffering ADHD and how they function in the everyday world.

`how is ADHD treated? and what are the side effects?

The two ways to treat ADHD is with medicines such as stimulants, cognitive-enhancing medication, and antihypertensive drug. With taking these medicines patients are advised to also go to talk therapy, or just therapy alone without the medications.

Side effects of ADHD medicine: Sleep problems, decreased appetite, slowed growth, headaches, tics, and mood swings.

Citations

• The Neuroscience of the ADHD Brain

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

BY ADDITUDE EDITORS, LARRY SILVER, M.D.

• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): The Basics - The National Institute of Mental Health Information Resource Center
• ADHD by the Numbers: Facts, Statistics, and You. By: Health Line