Causes & Risk Factors of Childhood ADHD

This article discusses the possible causes research has identified so far that may help explain why some children and teenagers get ADHD, while others do not. It then summarizes some of the most well-researched risk factors for ADHD. Possible Causes of Childhood ADHD Genes ADHD appears to have some type of genetic basis in the majority of cases, as a child with ADHD is four times as likely to have had a relative who was also diagnosed with attention deficit disorder. At the moment, researchers are investigating many different genes, particularly ones involved with the brain chemical dopamine. People with ADHD seem to have lower levels of dopamine in the brain. A 2010 British study found one likely suspect — something called copy number variants (CNVs) in our genome. CNVs occur when there are deletions or duplications among our chromosomes (the building blocks of our DNA). The genomewide burden of CNVs was significantly greater in ADHD patients in the study than in the controls — rates of 0.156 and 0.075, respectively. Children with ADHD who carry a particular version of a certain gene have thinner brain tissue in the areas of the brain associated with attention. Research into this gene has showed that the difference are not permanent, however. As children with this gene grow up, their brains developed to a normal level of thickness and most ADHD symptoms subsided. Nutrition & Food Certain components of the diet, including food additives and sugar, appear to have...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Attention Deficit Disorder Children and Teens Disorders General Adhd Areas Of The Brain Brain Chemical Brain Tissue Building Blocks Causes Of Attention Deficit Disorder Chemical Dopamine Child Rearing Children With Adhd Chromosom Source Type: news