The evolution of ADHD

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.

Pay attention to this post, if you still can

by Kylie Cannon

As a child, I lived for Saturday mornings. I would hop out of bed every week at six o’clock with boundless enthusiasm. The source of my excitement? Another morning to be spent in front of the television with Bugs Bunny and company, watching the weekly courtship of the Roadrunner and Wiley Coyote, Sylvester and Tweety. It’s already been established that a childhood filled with dropping anvils and sticks of dynamite can very well lead to violent behavior, but can my young obsession with Saturday morning cartoons be to blame as well for the fact that I can’t seem to sit still for long periods of time with my nose buried in a textbook, studying for an upcoming exam? Researchers say that it’s quite possible.

Anti-Psychotic Drugs and Kids: More Harm than Good?

by Katie Sherman

A disturbing trend has come to light in recent years: the use of powerful antipsychotic drugs to treat children with mild to severe mental health issues such as ADHD, aggression, schizophrenia, or conduct disorder. This has been a cause of much concern among healthcare professionals, as well as parents, in recent years, due to the fact that there has been very little research done on the effects that antipsychotics may have on children.

This article in WebMD claims that the use of anti-psychotic drugs to treat mental disorders in people age twenty or younger has increased dramatically since 1993, by more than six times. Amazingly, even though the FDA has not approved some of the most commonly prescribed antipsychotic drugs — particularly Clozaril, Risperdal, Zyprexa, Abilify, Geodon and Seroquel—for use in children, they are still being prescribed to young kids and teenagers regularly. This is a complex issue that has often been surrounded by controversy. Obviously, in children with severe, debilitating mental illness (such as certain forms of schizophrenia), pharmacological treatment can work wonders, giving these children a chance at a normal, healthy life.

According to this article in USA today, the same drugs that are being used to treat those with crippling, chronic symptoms are also being prescribed to children who are described as “overly aggressive” or “hyperactive.”

The list of potential side-effects for these drugs is sobering, including diabetes, severe weight gain, tardive dyskinesia, and sedation, and at least 45 child deaths have occurred where an antipsychotic drug has been the suspected cause (Elias, 2006). We also have no way of knowing what side-effects will emerge 10, 20 or 50 years from now. At the very least, more research needs to be done if these drugs are going to be continually used to treat children. Again, this can be a fine line to walk: how can we determine which children simply need increased emotional support, and which would truly benefit from drug therapy? Hopefully, the work of future researchers and scientists will help us to answer these questions.