As you know, one trademark of ADHD is low levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine — a chemical released by nerve cells into the brain. Due to this lack of dopamine, people with ADHD are "chemically wired" to seek more, says John Ratey, M.D., professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
If your child has ADHD, they may have low levels of a brain chemical called dopamine. That's part of a mix of their genes, environment, and brain function that experts believe may cause ADHD.
When there are more transporters in one area of the brain, they do this too quickly, which means that dopamine has less time to exert its effects. Reduced levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine may also contribute to the development of ADHD.
The hypothesis suggests that chronic deficiency in the available 5-HT level may contribute to the clinical symptoms of ADHD (Quist and Kennedy, 2001). Oades et al. (2008) have reported that in ADHD patients there is a 25% reduction in binding capacity of serotonin transporter (SLC6A4, SERT, 5-HTT).
People with ADHD may compulsively seek high-dopamine activities and stimulus to turn their brains on, which is why people with ADHD can be more likely to engage in impulsive and risky behaviors. Anything that triggers a strong burst of dopamine in the brain may be sought after by an individual.
As you know, one trademark of ADHD is low levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine — a chemical released by nerve cells into the brain. Due to this lack of dopamine, people with ADHD are "chemically wired" to seek more, says John Ratey, M.D., professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
ADHD is associated with abnormally low levels of the neurotransmitters transmitting between the prefrontal cortical area and the basal ganglia i.e., dopamine and noradrenaline. Dopamine is closely associated with reward centers in the brain, and also interacts with other potent neurotransmitters to regulate mood.
ADHD was the first disorder found to be the result of a deficiency of a specific neurotransmitter — in this case, norepinephrine — and the first disorder found to respond to medications to correct this underlying deficiency. Like all neurotransmitters, norepinephrine is synthesized within the brain.
Serotonin level in ADHD children was significantly higher than non-ADHD children (2.148 ± 0.94 vs 2.006 ± 0.115 μmol/L; p = 0.0001). Conclusion: Serotonin level in ADHD children was significantly higher than non-ADHD children.
While there's no known specific cause for ADHD, varying dopamine levels, norepinephrine, and serotonin in the brain can contribute to the severity of its symptoms.
Zinc, Iron, and Magnesium for ADHD
Zinc synthesizes dopamine and augments the effects of methylphenidate2. Low levels of this mineral correlate with inattention. Iron is also necessary for making dopamine.
Can Untreated ADHD Cause Depression? Having ADHD puts you at four times the risk of depression. The risk is even greater for hyperactive/impulsive types, who are also at a higher risk of suicide.
Prescription stimulants are often used to treat ADHD. These medications increase the levels of dopamine in the brain.
It is the target of therapeutic drugs, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin), which blocks the dopamine transporter, thereby increasing extracellular dopamine levels.
Adderall, being an amphetamine, has a direct impact on the brain's serotonin levels. It leads to an increase in serotonin. When the drug in small doses, as prescribed by doctors for patients with ADHD, the change in serotonin is not enough to create a drastic change in the serotonin levels.
Some reports have confirmed the effect of Ritalin on brain SERT level [16, 20]. Findings indicate that children who take anti-asthmatic medication, which lowers serotonin level in brain and plasma, may be forced to take Ritalin in order to increase brain serotonin level [21, 22].
Executive functions have other roles which affect how someone thinks. In people with ADHD, these executive dysfunctions impact thinking in numerous ways. People with ADHD don't really think faster than people without it, but it can sometimes seem like they do.
You can inherit genes that boost risk for ADHD from your mother, from your father or from both parents. In a recent Norwegian study, inherited risk was somewhat higher when a child's mother had ADHD compared to their father, but researchers weren't certain why that would be.
Behavior or Conduct Problems
Children with ADHD are more likely than other children to be diagnosed with a behavior disorder such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder or Conduct Disorder.
Magnesium for Relaxation and Sleep
Healthy levels of magnesium in the blood can help relax individuals with ADHD. Some small studies8 have shown that adding magnesium supplements decreases some symptoms of ADHD.
People with ADHD have at least one defective gene, the DRD2 gene that makes it difficult for neurons to respond to dopamine, the neurotransmitter that is involved in feelings of pleasure and the regulation of attention.
For many individuals, ADHD impairments are made worse by their struggles with excessive anxiety, persistent depression, compulsive behaviors, difficulties with mood regulation, learning disorders, or other psychiatric disorders that may be transient, recurrent, or persistently disruptive of their ability to perform the ...
Low levels of dopamine can make you feel tired, moody, unmotivated and many other symptoms. Treatments are available for many of the medical conditions linked to low dopamine levels.