As far as I understand, ADHD and ADD are a product of the inability to process dopamine or a deficiency of dopamine. So why are there not tests or screenings that can show with evidence the deficiency and the presence of ADHD?
I’m looking at a possibility that my son(4) could have ADHD and the possibility that a doctor will recommend medication. I am not against medication but I fear putting him on medication that will alter his brain chemistry at such a young age especially if he does not actually have ADHD and the phase that he is going through will be one he will naturally grow out of as his brain develops.
In: Biology
I don’t think it’s definitively known that ADHD is specifically a deficit in dopamine production or absorption. I think this is kind of assumed to be reasonable because the drugs that are most effective for treating some symptoms of ADHD are stimulants that interact with the dopamine system. This doesn’t necessarily mean that ADHD is a deficit related to dopamine. It just means that stimulants provide symptomatic relief for some ADHD patients.
There aren’t any known physical markers of ADHD that could be easily tested for. There’s no gene sequence, or a physical structure that would show up in an MRI scan. It’s really just not well understood.
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