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After decades of trying, scientists still can't crack the ADHD disorders code. In their relentless pursuit of finding out what causes ADHD and how to treat it effectively, these researchers are presently focusing on many aspects of the human brain. Some are keeping a good eye on the frontal cortex, while a few are picking the brains for genetic clues.
But two separate studies on bipolar and ADHD disorders sometime ago found something interesting with the key brain protein called dopamine transporter. The researchers found that the transporter in the brains of their respondents were running backwards, thus leaking dopamine which they were supposed to be holding!
Under normal circumstances, the levels of dopamine released are tightly controlled. If this level malfunctions, it can cause psychological problems, like those experienced by people with ADHD. If there is not enough dopamine, your body will freeze up. If there's too much, the affected individual becomes agitated. If the amount is only slightly above normal levels, it will sharpen that individual's attention. A little bit more, and all hell will break loose - hyperactivity, paranoia, mood swings and delusions will come a calling.
Thus, it is very important that this dopamine transporter protein works properly. If it works in reverse, you get a perpetual high, so to speak.
But despite the surprise findings by the researchers, they have yet to figure out how to get the transporter to actually provide therapeutic benefits for ADHD kids. In other words, the link between the transporter, dopamine action and ADHD are still not solved yet.
The researchers are now curious to find out whether there are other ways to woo the dopamine transporter to work in reverse mode that are not genetically determined. They are also excited that their findings could be due to the convergence of other genetic mutations in other proteins.
In summary, the fact that they found the dopamine transporter to be stuck in reverse offers them a completely new phenomenon to unravel the mystery of a disability which is causing so much suffering to millions of families worldwide - ADHD disorders.
About this Author
Corrie Banji is a freelance writer and has written on many topics for magazines and newspapers. Her latest work is about what is ADHD and studying with ADHD.
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