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Patients suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have lower-than-normal levels of certain proteins necessary for reward and motivation experiences. This was discovered by U.S. Department of Energy’s Laboratory in Brookhaven, New York in a recent study.
The study was conducted using PET (positron emission tomography) which measured two markers of the dopamine system known as dopamine receptors. This is where the chemical messenger binds to propagate the ‘reward’ signal and the dopamine transporters can take up and recycle the excess dopamine after the signal is sent.
This may help explain the deficits in the brain’s reward system that show as symptoms in people with ADHD. This includes inattention and reduced motivation, as well as complications such as drug abuse and obesity that may appear among ADHD patients.
With the testing that was done, the results clearly showed that ADHD patients had lower levels of dopamine receptors and transporters in the accumbens and midbrain which are the two key regions of the brain directly involved with processing motivation and reward.
The study also suggest that patients who abuse drugs or overeat may be unconsciously trying to compensate for what is missing in the reward system of the brain. By conducting research and understanding how the deficits in the dopamine contribute to ADHD, this will help the medical community find ways to lessen the symptoms that the ADHD population deals with on a daily basis.
The study was published in the September 9, 2009 Issue of JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) saying that this has important implications for treatment. They are quoted as saying, “Finding ways to address the underlying reward-system deficit could improve the direct clinical outcome of ADHD, and potentially reduce the likelihood of other negative consequences of this condition.”
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