ADHD brain

[Guest guest]

Alasdair Vance & colleagues have a series of important studies. The

abstracts and at least one free whole-text article can be enjoyed at

PubMed via the search:

vance AND adhd

ADHD kids' brains 'can't handle stress'

December 5, 2007 - 7:44PM

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/12/05/1196812819949.html

<http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/12/05/1196812819949.html>

Australian scientists now have a biological explanation for why children

with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) cannot handle stress.

Brain scans have revealed that children with the hyperactive disorder

have a dysfunction in the part of the brain which controls the ability

to develop coping strategies.

The Melbourne researchers behind the study say the findings help

reinforce the important role of biology rather than social factors like

upbringing in causing ADHD.

" Children who suffer ADHD do not have the same coping mechanisms for

stress as other people do, " said chief investigator Professor Alasdair

Vance from the University of Melbourne.

" It cannot be assumed that ADHD behaviour is the fault of bad parenting

or lack or discipline. "

The team analysed the brains of 24 children while they performed memory

tasks and found the right parietal lobe responded differently in the

hyperactive kids.

This region is responsible for developing coping strategies.

Prof Vance said this gives a biological reason for why these children

are not able to handle stressful environments.

" This discovery has the real potential to improve treatment strategies

for ADHD, to enable these children to better manage the demands of their

family and school relationships,

" he said.

Between one and three per cent of Australians suffer from ADHD, a

neurological disorder that affects planning and impulse control, mood

and arousal regulation.

Sufferers have difficulty controlling their behaviours in high stress

environments such as the classroom, playground or sharing with brothers

and sisters at home.

Prof Vance says these children will do anything to feel in control of

their situation. They have negative, oppositional ways of relating, for

instance, changing the rules of a game endlessly and arguing back.

" They can be impulsive, hyper, anxious and aggressive, and use this

behaviour to shut down the competing factors to simplify their

environment, " said Prof Vance, who is based at Melbourne's Royal

Children's Hospital.

" What you might best compare it to is the mindless act of road rage.

" They choose to become angry when really the important thing is to get

home and not have that fight. "

Further studies into brain regions and key environmental factors are

underway to add to this research, published in the journal Molecular

Psychiatry.