– ADHD brains are said to be constantly searching for dopamine – aren’t all brains craving dopamine? What’s the difference?

Question

– ADHD brains are said to be constantly searching for dopamine – aren’t all brains craving dopamine? What’s the difference?

In: 20415

Answer 1

All brains crave dopamine, but ADHD brains have a harder time producing and using it. This dopamine dysfunction can show up in a number of different areas, including

* not enough receptors in the brain (dulling the reward cycle and overall mood)
* not enough production (if there aren’t enough receptors, the body will produce less to match up with the pipeline)
* dopamine is produced well, but absorbed or taken away too quickly (dulling its effects again – neurotransmitters work best when they’re hanging out in synapses, the gaps between nerve cells)

Many of ADHD’s symptoms are either a direct result of low dopamine (restlessness, volatile moods, difficulty focusing…) or a compensating behavior to try and generate it (risky behaviors, drug abuse, physical activity…)