by Eric Schuman
Photo by by Ptit@l
Research has shown that ADHD (Attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder) is strongly influenced by genes. It seems as if it is related to a problem within the dopamine reward system of the brain. Difficulties with this system could be the reason that people with ADHD and ADD (attention deficit disorder) seem to have trouble staying focused.
The bad side of ADHD is pretty obvious: It makes people seem unfocused, hyperactive. But new research proposes that it has benefits. Why else would the genes associated with ADHD still be in the gene pool? Researchers Dan Eisenberg of Northwestern University and Ben Campbell of the University of Wisconson, Milwakee, think they have an answer. In a study published in BMC Evolutionary Biology, they posit that the sort of activities associated with ADHD—a want of novelty, behavioral flexibility, being hyper-aware in environments—were in fact advantageous to nomadic herdsman. They go on to link ADHD to obesity. In the modern world where a scarcity of food (for many but clearly not all) no longer exists, dis-inhibition of seeking pleasure from things like food become exaggerated, leading to obesity. Many children with ADHD have higher BMI’s (body mass index) than their peers, before they go on medications that often lead to weight loss, they point out.
Campbell, Eisenberg and their collegues (2008) studied a tribe in Kenya. One half had stayed nomadic, and the other had become agricultural. They explain that within a nomadic context, the ADHD genes are beneficiary. When in a more sedentary context, those same genes result in increased weight and malnutrition. This allele that contains these genes is, of course, connected with ADHD. Therefore, it seems ADHD is both positive and negative.
Another benefit of ADHD may be increased creativity. Researchers Holly A. White and Priti Shahb (2006) found that adults with ADHD were better at some creativity tasks, specifically tasks that called for divergent thinking. For the study, the compared ADHD and non-ADHD adults, looking at divergent versus convergent thinking. In divergent thinking, people take ideas from across various fields and use those ideas to come up with new and multifaceted theories. Convergent thinking is the opposite, focused on one item. The study concluded that ADHD adults seem to be more adept at divergent thinking than non-ADHD adults. Yet, the study concludes asking: what is the negative impact of thinking in such a way? This question does seem apt.
While some may malign ADHD and even question whether it exists at all, it is clear that it does exist, carries evolutionary benefits, and could lead creativity. The next time I argue with someone over ADHD, I’ll be sure to bring all of this up.
References
Campbell, B.C., Eisenberg D.T. (2007) .ADHD, Obesity, and the Dopaminergic Reward System. Collegium Anthropologicum 31:33-38. Retrieved March 1, 2009, from Google Scholar.
Eisenberg, D.T.A., Campbell, B. Gray, P.B. & Sorenson, M.D. (2008). Dopamine receptor genetic polymorphisms and body composition in undernourished pastoralists: An exploration of nutrition indices among nomadic and recently settled Ariaal men of northern Kenya. BMC Evolutionary Biology 8: 173. Retrieved March 1, 2009 from Google Scholar.
Misener, V. L., Luca, P., Azeke, O., et al. (2004). Linkage of the dopamine receptor D1 gene to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Molecular Psychiatry 9: 500–509.
University of Chicago Medical Center (1995). ADHD gene traced [press release]. Retrieved from http://www.uchospitals.edu/news/1995/19950000-adhd-gene.html
White, H. and Shah, P. (2006). The uninhibited imagination: Creativity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Personality and Individual Differences, 40, 1121-1131.
I find it interesting that ADHD (which a good deal friends have) is linked to a greater creative inclination. It makes sense that this kind of “divergent” thinking that is mentioned in this post is one of the benefits to those who live with a propensity for hyperactive behavior. However, what happens to such benefits of ADHD when prescription drugs, like Riddlin and Aderall, enter into the picture. While they obviously provide some sort of balance and “calming” focused effects, how do they effect creative temperaments. Although one works more efficiently and becomes increasingly focused, wouldn’t this hamper the divergent-creativity processes. Also, what happens to people who have ADHD or ADD and take these kinds of drugs for a large portion of their lives and then have kids? Does it have any effect on the genes that get passed on to offspring? Will it lessen the chances of passing it on?
Comment by Wendell Winton — September 30, 2009 @ 8:34 pm
After reading this blog, I remembered a discussion from my writing seminar class about the use of the drug methylphenidate hydrochloride, also known as Ritalin, for people diagnosed with ADHD. “Ritalin: Miracle Drug or Cop-Out” (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/medicating/readings/publicinterest.html) by Ken Livingston, a professor at Vassar, talks about the effects Ritalin of this drug and if it is really necessary. He mentions a report released by the United Nations in 1996 found that 10-12% of male school children were taking the drug and out of the Ritalin produced worldwide every year, the United States consumed 90% of it. This blog argues that ADHD may lead to creativity. I am now starting to wonder when students are rowdy and inattentive and are given Ritalin, are they being deprived of developing and expanding different skills from the “norm”?
Comment by Tarryn Sanchez — October 3, 2009 @ 4:05 pm
I just came across this article (http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS79680+12-Oct-2009+PRN20091012) about a doctor (Edward M. Hallowell) who believes he has found successful non-drug treatments for ADHD. He claims that drugs simply help to remove symptoms of this disorder, but do not attack the direct cause of ADHD. He has developed a system called the “Learning Breakthrough Program” that involves movement and eye-tracking exercises that stimulate neurological activity. These methods have been shown to improve the memory, communication and focus of individuals with ADHD. The basis of Hallowell’s research is to find ways to take advantage of the talents that our brains already possess to solve issues rather than using drugs.
Comment by Christine Marsico — October 15, 2009 @ 3:48 pm
I think our society’s preoccupation with ADHD as a “disorder” that should be cured with a pill reflects our culture’s obsession with productivity, and pervasive oppression of difference. If we really are living in a post-modern society in which there is plurality regarding what is “correct,” “acceptable,” and “good,” then why the propensity for “correcting” ADHD behavior with medication? I feel it reflects narrowness on the part of the society at large. It seems more and more that institutions, and especially that of education which is supposed to open our minds and engage our creativity, are increasingly dedicated to crushing eccentricity in order to mold productive individuals. The eradication of ADHD is an example of this.
As Hallowell’s work demonstrates, there are more options to dealing with ADHD than medication. One of the first steps, as Dr. Bonnie Cramond of the University of Georgia outlines in her article “The Coincidence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Creativity,” is to differentiate between disabling and enabling effects of a child’s hyperactivity. This is no small task, but it helps encourage a child’s creativity rather than writing off the energy as problematic.
I believe that our society’s premise of what is “good” and “bad” behavior in terms of ADHD in school needs to change; our mentality needs to be more open to the valuable differences between individuals. A concrete way to achieve this is for schools to adopt a more progressive approach to education, including adopting a curriculum devoted to cultivating children’s creativity and expression of energy through sport, dance, and art.
Comment by Catie Hall — October 28, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
Wendell, taking prescriptions would not have any effect on the chances of passing on the genes. The drugs merely treat the symptoms; the DNA cannot be altered.
This post has brought up a lot of things about education (something I am very interested in). It’s so true what people have said about medications having very serious negative effects on people. I have seen it in many friends. Why is it so difficult to accept that there are multiple ways of learning? I am very glad to hear of Mr. Hallowell’s treatment ideas. As a University of Michigan article points out, formal school settings intensify the negative aspects of ADHD because they are a constructed situation requiring very specific behavior. Perhaps we need to consider more sincerely the idea that everyone learns in a unique way and not all knowledge is quantifiable by a standardized exam. There are many ways in which to be talented; it is a shame that we restrict so many creative individuals in the current system.
Lesser, Sarah. ADHD and Education. http://sitemaker.umich.edu/356.lesser/home
Comment by Jillian — November 21, 2009 @ 12:39 am
I totally disagree with your comment Jillian. Medication for ADHD can be very helpful and should be encouraged for kids with ADHD. It is meant to give you a boost, and if one has trouble concentrating and focusing on tasks at hand, I see no problem with prescribing medication.
I personally take Concerta and Ritalin for my ADHD and find that it enables me to be more creative as I am able to focus on my work and where I am so that I can truly dive into and expand what I am working on.
I fail to understand how there are any real negative effects to using these medications. If you choose to approach the argument like Caitie (see above)- then yes it seems like meds are negative because we are correcting them. Try looking at them as an aide and great mental boost then maybe you will feel differently.
Something else that I found on the internet. ADHD medications may stunt growth- check it out.
http://www.neuropsychiatryreviews.com/jun04/npr_jun04_ADHDstunt.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/26/AR2009032604018.html
Comment by 105 student — December 1, 2009 @ 10:49 pm
While ADHD may be over-diagnosed, especially in “problem” kids in overcrowded schools, that does not mean that it doesn’t exist – to reduce the discussion to school’s oppression of creativity does a disservice to people who actually have this disorder. While there are many types of intelligence, ADHD drugs allow kids to access all of these. One can also stop taking them at any time – they do not permanently alter brain chemistry. Having watched my little brother begin to take these drugs, they do not make him any less the rowdy and creative person he is – they simply enable him to be able to sit still long enough to get though a page of math problems – and without it he would not have the academic achievements he is so proud of.
This article further elaborates of the coincidence of ADHD and creativity, explaining a bit of the opposite side:
http://www.borntoexplore.org/adhd.htm
Comment by Mollie Baker-Salisbury — December 7, 2009 @ 3:07 am
This is a rebuttal to the 105 Student who submitted comment #6. When considering the debate on whether ADHD medications are good or bad, it’s important to bear in mind that despite the positive effects they may have for children/adults with ADHD, the bulk of ADHD medications available are amphetamines – and I find it fundamentally troubling that such a powerful and potentially addictive class of drugs are being prescribed and encouraged for children. (Note, Concerta and Ritalin are methylphenidate; not technically an amphetamine, but a compound that bears structural and subjective similarity to it. For the sake of argument, I will not treat this as a significant distinction and will include it in the group of amphetamines.)
Since you say you don’t see any negative effects to these medications, I will enumerate a few:
- Amphetamines release dopamine in the brain, which causes a prolonged stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system. As we have learned, this causes a heightened state of arousal and effects such as elevated anxiety, insomnia, reduced appetite, and (unsurprisingly) increased ability to concentrate on a task.
- This dopaminergic activity is closely tied to reward mechanisms, which can lead to amphetamine addiction. The fact that amphetamine (ab)use produces rapid tolerance further increases the peril of addiction.
- Prolonged and/or excessive amphetamine use can also lead to amphetamine psychosis, which is a usually temporary condition marked by severe paranoia and hallucinations (in ways mimicking the symptoms of schizophrenia).
While careful administration of amphetamines and similar stimulant medications certainly reduces the occurrence of these negative effects (and obviously your own experience has not been disasterous), it does not rule them out completely. For example, a 1999 study ( http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10566114 ) of 98 children undergoing long-term ADHD treatment with methylphenidate noted about a 6% incidence rate of these children developing psychotic side-effects.
Amphetamines, like all drugs, have their uses, and there are definitely many cases where their benefits outweigh their downsides. However, we should treat them as the potent psychoactive drugs that they are, realize that they have side-effects, and exercise caution in administering them as medication. Personally, I believe that stimulant medications are a rather barbaric and oversimplified “cure” for the complex phenomenon that is ADHD, and that we should devote more resources to finding alternative treatments.
(information compiled from prior knowledge and Wikipedia entries on the substances in question)
Comment by Mark Adamo — December 7, 2009 @ 8:42 pm
Most people begin their ADHD treatment sometime during elementary, middle, or high, or other school. This is often because certain individuals are seen to exhibit behaviors that are counter-productive in the classroom and academic setting. Being a daydreamer, hyperactive, starting many projects, and having difficulty finishing projects are all qualities of creative thinkers. These qualities are also symptoms of individuals ADHD.
I just think the way we handle having creative, non-traditional, or outside-the-box thinkers is weird in US society. Instead of changing the ways in which classes are taught and assessed, we try to change the chemical make up of individuals’ brains that have a difficult time in school. It seems wrong that creative and unique learners (often those diagnosed with ADHD) are left to find a way to either struggle through their education, or take a drug to change the way they focus and think.
I cannot propose a method overnight to solve the issues confronted by having very different types of learners in an academic setting. I hope that the Obama Administration can take a look at this issue, and instigate change of the system in a way that accommodates every type of learner.
Bailey, E. (2007) . ADHD and Creativity. HealthCentral. Retrieved from http://www.healthcentral.com/adhd/c/1443/16796/adhd-creativity
Comment by Psych 105 Student — December 11, 2009 @ 2:48 am
I am getting what is to me an important undercurrent in the above comments: it is that there is a “standard” which exists and that people with ADHD (and I will add dyslexia too) need to be pushed, somehow, into that standard if they are to be “normal, healthy, productive, etc.”
If you just drop the idea that the standard is appropriate and let it go, then there is not much that has to be done. ADHD/Dyslexia is another way that the brain orders itself. Just that.
I have spent a lifetime with both and from my experience, the benefits of ADHD/Dyslexia FAR outweigh the disadvantages.
And, as I see it, the “standard bearers” are the ones with the problem. There are lots of wonderful things that can be done with kids & adults with ADHD/Dyslexia that do not involve drugs.
Comment by Info About Adhd — March 8, 2010 @ 8:46 am
Such an interesting debate. And really, I can’t say where exactly my opinion falls on it. Medicating people with ADHD is complicated–some argue that it stunts creativity and out of the box thinking, and there are undeniably pretty bad side effects for some. On the other hand, knowing people personally who have struggled with unmedicated ADHD, I know that there is a reason behind medication. Honestly, I don’t think you can make a blanket statement that we should or shouldn’t medicate ADHD. For some, it works. For some, it doesn’t. (Really, this is true of a lot of conditions.) I will agree that were our society a little less rigid and more open to those who might have conditions like ADHD, perhaps there would be a lessened need for meds.
Comment by Psych 105 student — April 30, 2010 @ 8:51 pm
ADHD is seen largely by today’s society as a nuisance and a disorder than must be treated by medicine. I like this blog post, though, because it highlights some positives about ADHD that many people don’t usually associate with the trait.
Dr. Hallowell is man who actually visited Vassar who strongly believes that ADHD is not a disease, but more of a blessing. He believes it enhances creativity within an individual as long as that individual knows how to use it.
Says Dr. Hallowell: “In my opinion, ADHD is a terrible term. As I see it, ADHD is neither a disorder, nor is there a deficit of attention. I see ADHD as a trait, not a disability. When it is managed properly, it can become a huge asset in one’s life. I both have ADHD myself and I wrote a book with Catherine Corman profiling a collections of fabulously successful adults all of whom have ADHD, so I know whereof I speak.
As I like to describe it, having ADD is like having a powerful race car for a brain, but with bicycle brakes. Treating ADD is like strengthening your brakes–so you start to win races in your life.”
Comment by Casey Rice — May 3, 2010 @ 8:55 pm
I simply couldn’t depart your site before suggesting that I actually loved the standard information a person supply in your visitors? Is going to be back incessantly in order to investigate cross-check new posts
Comment by Dyslexia — December 28, 2011 @ 6:07 am
I have posted a series of articles on ADHD and Dyslexia on my website at: infoaboutadhd.wordpress.com – these articles are written from the point of view that there is nothing “wrong” with ADHD and Dyslexia at all. And the articles are written from my having both and lived with both.
I wrote these because a friend was distraught that his son was recently diagnosed with ADHD. My friend was very upset.
So, in an endeavor to show to him that nothing is wrong! ADHD and Dyslexia are not “mistakes” that need to be “fixed.” What is off is the behavior and that cannot be altered with judgmental concerns about the child’s wrongness.
And, drugs are, in my opinion, really not a good thing at all.
So, my articles show what a virtue these two conditions are and how I dealt with them… on my own as they were not identified when I was a child.
Hope you enjoy the articles.
Comment by James — January 21, 2012 @ 9:16 am
In today’s society ADHD is looked at as a negative disorder. Our industrialized society encourages people to control impulses and stay still. From an evolutionary perspective, I think that having ADHD in a society with no technology would have been extremely beneficial. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder in which a person finds it difficult to focus his or her attention and is easily distracted. Thus, in primitive times, rapid-movements, hyperactivity, and quick response-readiness reflexes would have been essential survival qualities for people living a lifestyle in the jungle, woods, or grasslands. The way I see it, ADHD is not a disorder, but group of qualities that had a more beneficial use for humans in the past.
Comment by Jacqueline Palma — April 27, 2012 @ 9:30 am
This article leaves me to question what can be done to reverse the effects of higher BMI’s for children with ADHD. In the following study, (Molly E. Waring and Kate L. Lapane. “Overweight in children and adolescents in relation to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: results from a national sample” Pediatrics 122.1 (2008).), it resulted that children with ADHD are at a 1.5 times higher risk of being overweight than children without ADHD. Although mentioned i (http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/articles/2008/07/07/adhd-might-raise-kids-obesity-risk) that the medications for ADHD such as Ritalian and Adderol reverse the effects of this weight gain, it leads me to question whether there can’t be more specific drugs that target the “nomadic gene” that is associated with ADHD that perhaps is linked to higher BMIs. Although i wonder if there are any exercises or tools that kids with ADHD can learn along with awarness to control the association of this gene and prevent the negative effects of weight loss. Also, i wonder if the medications that have a side-effect a loss of appetite then make the user (subject with ADHD) become more dependent on the medication as a means not only to concentrate but alos to maintain a healthy BMI.
Comment by Lucia — May 6, 2012 @ 2:18 pm
In my personal experience with ADD/ADHD, this “problem with the dopamine reward system of the brain” is more of a burden than a blessing; fortunately I’ve been able to lessen the burden with medication. While some may argue that children who are diagnosed with ADD/ADHD should learn to deal with it without medicine, I am a firm believer in the benefits of taking drugs like Adderall and Ritolin. As someone who struggled during much of their childhood with learning disabilities, I know firsthand how frustrating it can be to constantly feel like your below the curve, just barely managing to keep your head above the water as everyone else is effortlessly floating along. I have attempted to treat my disorder with a variety of fixes, such as diet change, therapy, and a multitude of neo-wonder-solutions, but nothing really seemed to take–that is until I was put on Adderall. Within a mere three weeks I saw a tremendous improvement in my symptoms; I had a better sense of control and inhibition, I was more focused and attentive, I developed healthier habits, and I was finally able to throw myself whole-heartedly at my education. I went from being the kid the teacher was “concerned about” to the kid who was “a pleasure to have in the classroom”. I think I can safely say that I would not be at this school or any school of a similar caliber if it were not for being put on medicine.
That being said, I don’t believe that medicine’s the be-all-end-all or even that it’s the right treatment for everyone with ADD/ADHD. Everyone’s brain works differently so some people are definitely better off not taking medicine. There is also a maturity factor that definitely plays a role in learning to cope with this learning disability. For example, an eight year old may not have the maturity to learn to handle his or her ADD/ADHD, but a teenager or adult might be better suited for such an undertaking. I personally do not plan on taking medicine for my ADD/ADHD throughout my entire adult life, but, for now, I don’t think that it is necessary to make myself work so much harder than those without this learning disability to keep up in school simply because some argue that my creativity is being smothered or because my brain’s alternative wiring is being held to a certain “standard” that it shouldn’t have to.
Whether or not children should be medicated is a personal choice that a child and their parents should make together after consulting their doctor and psychiatrist. Often times, there is a lot of individual experimenting with different methods that must be done before an individual can settle on the option that works best for him or her. Overall, I think it’s important for people to keep in mind that no two brains are identical and that just because one method may work for some people, it’s not guaranteed to work for everyone.
Comment by Psychology Student 105 — March 3, 2013 @ 8:20 pm
Like many others here, I have some experience with ADHD, in the sense that my younger brother was diagnosed with it early in elementary school. I agree with the Psychology Student 105 (comment 17) in saying that I don’t believe medicine is the cure-all for those with ADHD but I do think people should be open to the option of being on medication. Recently, we took my brother off the medication to test how he would do without it and the change was enormous. Every teacher who used to praise him became bewildered as to what to do. While we saw at home the effort he was making to control himself, at school it seemed that he would too often forget and end up moving off topic and calling out. The concern many have for the over-diagnosis of ADHD in school today as teachers rather work with “obedient and quiet little children” (as terrible as authoritarian that phrase sounds), is fairly valid but I do believe that his diagnosis was a proper one. As he matures more, I believe he will gain a better handle on his ADHD and not have to be on medication.
Comment by Psych 105 Student — March 6, 2013 @ 4:40 pm