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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder often diagnosed in early childhood, with symptoms that may persist into adulthood. Its main symptoms include impetuosity, difficulty concentrating, disorganisation and extreme restlessness. Additionally, some individuals with ADHD may suffer from certain sleep disorders, such as insomnia and restless leg syndrome.
Structural Differences
The brain of an individual with ADHD differs slightly from the average, or neurotypical, person. The prefrontal cortex matures more slowly, which causes slower development of stress management and decision-making skills. The ADHD brain is also slightly smaller in size, resulting in a smaller cerebellum, hippocampus, and amygdala. This disrupts the individual’s motor response, memory and emotional regulation. These structural differences correlate to how an individual with ADHD might experience more intense surges of hyperactivity and are more prone to impulse decisions. The individual may also find it more difficult to organise, plan and make quick decisions.
Brain Chemistry Differences
The brain has 2 main mood messengers - dopamine and noradrenaline. They allow the brain to focus, organise and complete tasks. Additionally, inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters are released in balanced amounts to oversee the firing of neurons in the brain. In the ADHD brain, these neurotransmitters are released in disproportionate amounts, causing a kind of ‘havoc’ in the brain. This results in the individual having trouble with emotional regulation and leads to impulsivity due to the increase in excitement caused by dopamine.
In the ADHD brain, the default mode network (DMN) is more active than a neurotypical’s. The DMN is typically active when an individual is idle and ‘daydreaming’. In individuals with ADHD, this network is more active when faced with a task while in neurotypicals it is more active at rest. Hence, individuals with ADHD often face more problems completing a task that requires concentration.
Individuals with ADHD might have problems completing tasks and managing their emotions, as a result of the differences in their brains. As a society, we can have more patience and compassion when dealing with these individuals, they might be facing battles we know nothing about!
Reference list
Arnsten, A.F.T. (2009). Stress signalling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and function. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, [online] 10(6), pp.410–422. doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2648.
Collin, C., Clifton, M. and Taylor, K. (2020). How the brain works : the facts visually explained. London: Dorling Kindersley.
Ovcharenko, J. (2023). Normal Brain vs ADHD Brain: Differences, Similarities, and Management Strategies. [online] Numo.so. Available at: https://numo.so/pt/journal/normal-brain-vs-adhd-brain.
ResearchGate. (n.d.). Fig. The three main neurotransmitters, namely, SEROTONIN, DOPAMINE &... [online] Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Fig-The-three-main-neurotransmitters-namely-SEROTONIN-DOPAMINE-NOREPINEPHRINE_fig2_322420984.
Wilkins, F. (2023). How Is the ADHD Brain Different? [online] Child Mind Institute. Available at: https://childmind.org/article/how-is-the-adhd-brain-different/.
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