Skip to content

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)

adhd-brain-maturation-dark-areasWhat Is Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)?

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]ttention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is a maladaptive behavioral disorder characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention and impulsivity, or both, that are developmentally (age) inappropriate. For these problems to be diagnosed as ADHD, they must be out of the normal range for a child’s age and development.

Inattention results from difficulty concentrating which gives the impression of not listening. The person’s speech or writing, such as when telling stories, can be disorganized.

Most children with ADHD also have at least one other developmental or behavioral problem. Depression, lack of sleep, learning disabilities, tic disorders, and behavior problems may be confused with, or appear with, ADHD. Every child suspected of having ADHD should be carefully examined by a doctor to rule out possible other conditions or reasons for the behavior.

An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) study investigating whole-brain cortical thickness (outer layer of the brain) in male and female children, adolescents, and adults with ADHD supports the hypothesis that brain abnormalities in ADHD represent abnormal brain development rather than developmental delay.

Q: What is the abnormal development problem?

Drawing shows the 4 lobes of the human brain on the left side. The occipital lobe is pink. Courtesy Wikimedia
4 lobes of the human brain making up each hemisphere (side). In this drawing, the frontal is blue, the parietal is yellow, the temporal is green, and the occipital lobe is pink. Courtesy Wikimedia

A: Differences occur in the right side of the brain only. Reduced cortical thickness in people of all ages with ADHD was observed predominantly in the frontoparietal region (forehead and top). However, increased cortical thickness was observed predominantly in the occipital lobe (back). The brain thickness differences were correlated with severity of ADHD.1

ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder of childhood. It affects about 3 – 5% of school aged children and is diagnosed much more often in boys than in girls.2

What Is ADHD In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. Almeida Montes LG, Prado Alcántara H, Martínez García RB, De La Torre LB, Avila Acosta D, Duarte MG. Brain cortical thickness in ADHD: age, sex, and clinical correlations. J Atten Disord. 2013 Nov;17(8):641-54. doi: 10.1177/1087054711434351. [↩]
  2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002518/ [↩]

Schizophrenia

schizophrenia gluten
PET scan showing schizophrenia. Courtesy Wikimedia.

What Is Schizophrenia?

[dropcap]S[/dropcap]chizophrenia is a thought disorder characterized by psychotic symptoms and inappropriate and bizarre behavior.

Schizophrenia involves dysfunction in any of these areas:

  • Cognition which are thinking skills that include intellect, language, mathematical ability, memory, perception, reasoning, judgment, learning, and imagination.
  • Interpersonal relationships.
  • Ability to work or attend education.
  • Ability to take care of physical and financial needs.

Q: What are psychotic symptoms?

A: In psychosis the symptoms vary but include loss of contact with reality shown by hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, and disorientation. Some may be depressed or manic. Some may be withdrawn and mute while others may become violent if frustrated or thwarted.

In hallucinations, affected persons see what is not real such as a burgler in the process of robbing them but which is not really happening or hear voices that are not real.

In delusions, affected persons may express strange ideas, claim to read minds or that they are a famous person living or dead.

Early-onset schizophrenia with onset before age 18 is defined by the same diagnostic criteria as in adults because it is continuous with adult schizophrenia. The onset before age 12 years comprises less than 1% of adult cases, and onset from age 12–18 years constitutes about 12–33% of all adult cases of schizophrenia.1

What Is Schizophrenia In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. Pagsberg AK, Tarp S, Glintborg D, Stenstrøm AD, Fink-Jensen A, Correll CU, Christensen R. Antipsychotic treatment for children and adolescents with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: protocol for a network meta-analysis of randomised trials. BMJ Open. 2014 Oct 10;4(10):e005708. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005708. [↩]