“My brain has way too many tabs open.” “Why can’t I complete tasks?” “Why do I lose track of time?” “Why can’t I pay attention?” These are all things people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, may ask themselves daily, if not hourly. As a family nurse practitioner in primary care , I have diagnosed and treated numerous patients with ADHD.
I was also diagnosed with it at the age of 21. Understanding how the wiring differs in a brain with ADHD and what improves functioning is critical to help those struggling because of their brain’s uniqueness. How brains with ADHD differ Research has identified multiple differences in how brains with ADHD work .
Put simply, ADHD significantly affects executive function. Executive functioning is a set of cognitive processes, including planning, prioritizing, impulse control, flexibility, time management and emotional regulation, that help people achieve long-term goals. These processes occur in the prefrontal cortex – the “personality center” – of the brain.
In addition to the prefrontal cortex, ADHD affects other areas of the brain, including the basal ganglia , an area that regulates communication within the brain, and the cerebellum , which is responsible for movement and balance. All three work together regulating attention, executive function motor activity and impulse control . Chemical messengers called neurotransmitters allow brain cells to communicate with each other.
Dopamine and nore.