ADHD

Purpose

Help parents to detect ADHD and use the proper treatment depending in the age of the person.

Hypothesis

Which are the causes of ADHD, and how is it diagnose and treat it?

Members

• Dirien Nohal Urbina Cardona

• Paola Alejandra Lopez Osorio

• Carlos Josue Espinoza Hércules

• Jorge Luis Cruz Villeda

Materials

 Flyers

 Survey

Procedure

1. Make the flyers

2. Give the flyers to the parents in order to inform them

3. Make the surveys to students selected by the teachers

Data

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, similar to hyperkinetic disorder in the ICD-10) is a psychiatric disorder of the neuro developmental type in which there are significant problems of attention, hyperactivity, or acting impulsively that are not appropriate for a person's age.

Inattention, hyperactivity (restlessness in adults), disruptive behavior, and impulsivity are common in ADHD. Academic difficulties are frequent as are problems with relationships.

The symptoms can be difficult to define as it is hard to draw a line at where normal levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity end and significant levels requiring interventions begin.

Be easily distracted, miss details, forget things, and frequently switch from one activity to another. Have difficulty maintaining focus on one task .Become bored with a task after only a few minutes, unless doing something enjoyable. Have difficulty focusing attention on organizing and completing a task or learning something new .Have trouble completing or turning in homework assignments, often losing things (e.g., pencils, toys, assignments) needed to complete tasks or activities .Not seem to listen when spoken to Daydream, become easily confused, and move slowly. Have difficulty processing information as quickly and accurately as others.

The causes of ADHD are:

 Genetic: Siblings of children with ADHD are three to four times more likely to develop the disorder than siblings of children without the disorder. Genetic factors are also believed to be involved in determining whether or not ADHD persists into adulthood. Typically a number of genes are involved, many of which directly affect dopamine neurotransmission.

 Environment: Exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy can cause problems with central nervous system development and can increase the risk of ADHD. At least 30% of children with a traumatic brain injury later develop ADHD and about 5% of cases are due to brain damage.

 Path physiology: Current models of ADHD suggest that it is associated with functional impairments in some of the brain's neurotransmitter systems, particularly those involving dopamine and nor epinephrine. The dopamine and nor epinephrine pathways that originate in the ventral tegmental area and locus cerulean project to diverse regions of the brain and govern a variety of cognitive processes. The dopamine pathways and nor epinephrine pathways which project to the prefrontal cortex and striatum (particularly, the nucleus acumens) are directly responsible for modulating executive function (cognitive control of behavior), motivation, and reward perception; these pathways are known to play a central role in the pathophysiology of ADHD.

Diagram of the human brain

In children with ADHD there is a general reduction of volume in certain brain structures, with a proportionally greater decrease in the volume in the left-sided prefrontal cortex. The posterior parietal cortex also shows thinning in ADHD individuals compared to controls.

Neurotransmitter pathways

Previously it was thought that the elevated number of dopamine transporters in people with ADHD was part of the pathophysiology but it appears that the elevated numbers are due to adaptation to exposure to stimulants.

Executive function

ADHD symptoms involve a difficulty with executive functions. Executive function refers to a number of mental processes that are required to regulate, control, and manage daily life tasks. Some of these impairments include problems with organization, time keeping, and excessive procrastination, concentration, processing speed, regulating emotions, and utilizing working memory. People usually have decent long-term memory. The criteria for an executive function deficit are met in 30–50% of children and adolescents with ADHD. One study found that 80% of individuals with ADHD were impaired in at least one executive function task, compared to 50% for individuals without ADHD.

Diagnosis

ADHD is diagnosed by an assessment of a person's childhood behavioral and mental development, including ruling out the effects of drugs, medications and other medical or psychiatric problems as explanations for the symptoms. It often takes into account feedback from parents and teachers with most diagnoses begun after a teacher raises concerns. Associated conditions that should be screened for include anxiety, depression,

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