Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Causes

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a medical disorder that affects development and functions of the brain. There are several causes associated with the occurrence of ADHD including genetic effects, exposure to toxic substances and brain injury among others.Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Causes

Broad studies carried out on genetic relationship within families, adopted children, between twins and molecular genetics research confirms that ADHD is a hereditary medical disorder. Family studies show that, “over 25% of the first Degree relatives of the families of ADHD children also had ADHD, whereas this rate was only about 5% in each of the control group” (My ADHD, 2010). High occurrences of ADHD in families indicate that it is a hereditary condition.

To confirm whether it may be a social issue, psychological studies of ADHD on adopted children in relation to their biological and adaptive parents indicates that, hyperactive children relates more to their biological parents than to the adaptive parents.

These findings prove that, ADHD is not due to social influences but a genetic disorder. Further studies on twins, both identical and non-identical twins show that, “…82 percent concordance rate for ADHD in identical twins as compared to a 38 percent concordance rate for ADHD in non-identical twins” (My ADHD, 2010).

Similarity the severity of the ADHD condition in identical twins is due to same genetic make-up, hence giving concrete evidence that ADHD is an inheritable disorder. Eventually, molecular studies have isolated dopamine genes that are responsible for the ADHD, thus most probable cause of ADHD lies in genetics.Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Causes