Kids with ADHD have some brain regions smaller than normal: Study

Kids with ADHD have some brain regions smaller than normal: Study A study released on 16 February 2017 stated that people with Attention Deficit(कमी) Hyperactivity Disorder (सक्रियता विकार) (ADHD) have slightly smaller brains than those without the condition. The study insisted that it is a physical disorder and not just bad behaviour. The analysis found “structural differences” and evidence

(सबूत) of delayed development compared with non-sufferers. It is the largest analysis to date of the brains of people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The results of the study involved 1713 people with ADHD and 1529 people without the condition. The findings were published in The Lancet (चाकू) Psychiatry(मानसिक रोगों की चिकित्सा) .  MRI scans for more than 3200 people in nine countries aged four to 63, of whom 1713 had ADHD, were analysed.

• It was found that the brains of children with the condition were slightly smaller in five regions, including those that control emotions, voluntary (स्वैच्छिक) movement and understanding.

• In addition, one scan per person was reviewed and no effect from ADHD medications was found.

• The findings support previous theories that the brains of people with ADHD may develop more slowly. However, those differences are mostly wiped out by the time children grow up.

About Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

• ADHD is a mental disorder of the neurodevelopmental type.

• It is characterized by problems paying attention, excessive activity, or difficulty controlling behaviour, which is not appropriate for a person's age.

• The exact cause of the disorder is still unknown in the majority of cases.

• It affects about 5–7 per cent of children when diagnosed via the DSM-IV criteria and 1–2 per cent when diagnosed via the ICD-10 criteria.