Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), characterized by the inability to focus on a task and the inclination toward high-energy behavior, is a challenge to diagnose and treat. As a mental disorder, especially one that is not yet well understood, ADHD largely remains a mystery.
A recent, high-profile ADHD brain-imaging study has found evidence that there are differences in the brain scans of those with ADHD and without ADHD. The researchers hope mounting proof that ADHD has a physical basis will convince more people to support research and treatment of the disease.
The ADHD Stigma
Because psychological disorders don’t always have a physiological cause, skeptics often search for other, more tangible underlying causes for such diseases. ADHD is no exception – many critics of current research believe that the disorder is not caused by an inherent brain anomaly, but by brain restructuring from environmental factors.
And while environmental factors may still contribute to the presence of ADHD, proponents of the hypothesis that the disease is an imbalance of brain chemicals may have new evidence that it is not simply the result of emotional trauma or poor parenting.
The ADHD Brain Imaging Study
The author of this ADHD study, Martine Hoogman examined over 1,700 people with ADHD and 1,500 who had not been diagnosed with the disorder. Participants ranged in age from 4 to 63 so researchers could consider the prevalence of ADHD in young people as well.
The team found that five regions of the brain were a significant percentage smaller in patients who had ADHD than in those who did not. While the significant percentage was only a few percentage points for each region, the consistency of the results alarmed the researchers.
Similar brain volume deviations exist in patients who suffer from other psychiatric disorders, including those with major depressive disorder. Differences in brain structure, even small ones, can and often do indicate disorders of the brain.
Continuing ADHD Research
The study provides a basis from which further ADHD study may be able to garner additional investment. If evidence continues to mount that ADHD is a disorder of the brain and not simply the result of an inability to adapt to social norms, researchers may find themselves able to target specific parts of the brain and develop new ADHD medications to improve the function of those areas.
Further similar ADHD brain imaging studies may provide enough evidence to warrant continued research and drug development, a path which this most recent study has opened.
