Does ADHD have a link to serotonin levels? Maybe. A recent research review found that a serotonin deficit could be partially responsible for triggering ADHD symptoms and that people genetically inclined to have altered serotonin activity are more likely to have ADHD.
The onset of attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder (ADHD) in childhood is characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels of hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention. A chronic deficit of serotonin (5-HT) at the synapse may trigger symptoms 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 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.
Dopamine and norepinephrine are two neurotransmitters that may play a role in ADHD.
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.
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.
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.
Key aspects of the reward system are underactive in ADHD brains, making it difficult to derive reward from ordinary activities. These dopamine-deficient brains experience a surge of motivation after a high-stimulation behavior triggers a release of dopamine.
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.
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.
Antidepressants aren't approved to treat ADHD, but they can help with inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.
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].
Sugar and other high carb foods boost dopamine levels in the brain, leading us to crave them more often when dopamine levels are low. Since children with ADHD have chronically low levels of dopamine, they are more likely than other children to crave and eat sugary or carbohydrate-heavy foods.
A recent review of findings on ADHD and FFM personality suggests that, in general, ADHD has associations with the FFM traits of Neuroticism (positive), Agreeableness (negative) and Conscientiousness (negative).
Some signs that you might be understimulated include: Lack of motivation. Physical hyperactivity. A sense of unease, making you feel "flat" or irritable.
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.
If, on the other hand, an individual with ADHD loses interest in an activity, his nervous system disengages, in search of something more interesting. Sometimes this disengagement is so abrupt as to induce sudden extreme drowsiness, even to the point of falling asleep.
People who have normal dopamine levels may still crave dopamine boosts, but people with ADHD have dopamine voids to fill so that craving is more frequent. Substances, experiences, and activities that cause dopamine boosts are often addictive, even if many of them wouldn't cause an addiction in the average person.
People with ADHD will have at least two or three of the following challenges: difficulty staying on task, paying attention, daydreaming or tuning out, organizational issues, and hyper-focus, which causes us to lose track of time. ADHD-ers are often highly sensitive and empathic.
Unfortunately, they also have a veritable treasure trove of ingredients that can worsen ADHD symptoms: sugar, artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, caffeine, and other stimulants. "Energy drinks are high on the list of things that cause teens to display behaviors mimicking ADHD," says Barnhill.
Adults with ADHD may find it difficult to focus and prioritize, leading to missed deadlines and forgotten meetings or social plans. The inability to control impulses can range from impatience waiting in line or driving in traffic to mood swings and outbursts of anger. Adult ADHD symptoms may include: Impulsiveness.