subject: 4 Causes of Attention Deficit Disorder [print this page] 4 Causes of Attention Deficit Disorder 4 Causes of Attention Deficit Disorder
Researchers are investigating ADD and what exactly causes it. Although the exact causes of attention deficit disorder are still unknown, researchers have come up with a couple of factors that they believe play a role in ADD. Possible causes of attention deficit disorder include:
Genetics
Evidence is building towards genetic causes of attention deficit disorder, rather than elements of the home environment. Children with relatives who have ADD/ADHD are four times as likely to have it themselves. Researchers are investigating genes that are involved with the brain chemical 'dopamine'. People with ADD/ADHD seem to have lower quantities of dopamine.
Children with lower levels of dopamine in the brain, seem to have thinner brain tissue in areas which control attention. However, this condition is not permanent. As the child grows, these brain tissues will grow into normal brain tissues and most of the symptoms of ADD will disappear.
Brain Injury
Physical injury or being exposed to toxins, either before or after birth, can be one of the causes of attention deficit disorder. Brain injury can cause ADD-like symptoms in people who previously seemed unaffected.
Nutrition
Refined sugar has been known to cause all sorts of abnormal behavior. However, research shows that there's no direct link to ADD/ADHD. Lack of the fat 'omega3' is one of the more likely causes of attention deficit disorder, since omega3 is important for brain development and function. Also other components of the diet can be causes of attention deficit disorder.
TIP: Fish oil supplements appear to alleviate the symptoms of ADD/ADHD and can even boost school performances.
Other Possible Causes of Attention Deficit Disorder
The human brain consists of 'grey matter' and 'white matter'. Grey matter consists of the actual braincells and are divided into many different areas (vision, logical thinking, creativity, etc). White matter consists of the connections between the braincells and the different areas and is responsible for the communication within the brain.The latest research shows us that children diagnosed with ADD have noticeably less white matter in their brain.
Research is still being done on finding the causes of attention deficit disorder, but they are on the verge of a breakthrough and they believe that it's possible to create effective treatments once they find the exact causes of attention deficit disorder.
