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