In a nine-year study of ADHD patients, researchers found that the three primary symptoms of ADHD are linked to low levels of certain brain proteins. What were the details of the research and what do these mean to special education teachers?
About the Research Study
Numerous researches have been conducted to gain more knowledge about ADHD, ADHD diagnosis, and ADHD treatments. The unwavering question is: "What is ADHD?" A research that links ADHD symptoms to brain proteins may provide an answer. The research was conducted at the Brookhaven National Laboratory and lasted for nine years. The participants were adult patients who have been diagnosed with ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The researchers explained that the major challenge of the study was finding patients that never used ADHD medications to address their ADHD symptoms. The major instrument used is the PET scanner. PET or Positron Emission Tomography is an imaging technique that produces three-dimensional images of the brain's activity. The brain images of 53 ADHD patients were compared to those that belonged to 44 healthy individuals. The results showed that the patients have significantly lower levels of certain brain proteins that are involved in the brain's dopamine system.
The Brain Proteins
Dopamine (or 2-[3,4-dihydroxyphenyl]ethylamine) is a neurotransmitter, a chemical that is involved in sending signals from neurons (nerve cells) to other cells of the body. Typically, when a neurotransmitter is released, a specific action is about to happen. When dopamine is released, certain proteins inside the midbrain are activated. Some of these proteins are classified as receptors while others are called transporters. These brain protein activate and regulate behaviors and moods, including attention, motivation, and recognition of rewards. When there are deficits of receptors and transporters in the brain, ADHD symptoms are observed. The researchers explained that low concentrations of these brain proteins may have prevented the patients from recognizing positive rewards associated with certain stimuli. In other words, the presence of ADHD in children led to weaker motivation in learning, inattention, and other symptoms of ADHD. What do all these imply?
Implications of the Study
The results of the study may imply certain changes in how the public, health professionals, parents, and special education teachers view ADHD symptoms, ADHD diagnosis, and ADHD treatment. For example, the symptoms ADHD may be traced to an underlying physiological cause - the brain proteins. ADHD diagnosis may become more accurate and there will be a better understanding of how ADHD treatments, such as Ritalin, work inside the brain. For teachers in the field of special education, the goal of helping children with ADHD is easier to accomplish when teachers realize the effect of low levels of such brain proteins. The path towards academic progress is increasing motivation through more interesting lessons, Finally, the most desirable implication is more assistance for children with ADHD.