Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral condition characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that often persists from childhood into adulthood.
Overview
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral disorder that typically begins in childhood. While some people experience only inattention or only hyperactivity and impulsivity, most have problems related to all three features. These behaviors are often frequent and severe enough to interfere with daily activities such as school, work, and relationships.
Symptoms
- Inattention: Being easily distracted, forgetful, avoiding tasks that require sustained attention, difficulty organizing tasks, or frequently losing items.
- Hyperactivity: Frequent movement, such as fidgeting or tapping feet when seated, leaving one's seat inappropriately, or talking excessively and interrupting others.
- Impulsivity: Hasty actions without thought for consequences, difficulty waiting for a turn, or difficulty considering actions before acting.
More than two-thirds of individuals with ADHD have additional conditions, such as insomnia, mood or anxiety disorders, learning disorders, substance use disorders, autism spectrum disorder, or Tourette syndrome.
Causes
ADHD is a complex condition associated with changes in dozens of genes, many of which are involved in brain development and communication between neurons. These genetic variations often combine with environmental risk factors, such as complications during pregnancy and delivery or exposure to heavy metals like lead.
Research indicates that people with ADHD often have low levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which plays a role in cognition, motivation, behavior, and movement control. In less common cases, ADHD is caused by rare gene mutations or chromosome abnormalities as part of a broader syndrome.
Inheritance
ADHD tends to run in families, though the inheritance pattern is usually unknown. The risk of developing the condition is about nine times greater for relatives of people with ADHD compared to the general public. Individuals with associated genetic changes generally inherit an increased risk of developing the condition rather than the condition itself.
Other Names
- ADD
- ADDH
- ADHD
- Attention deficit
- Attention deficit disorder
- Attention deficit disorder of childhood with hyperactivity
- Attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity
- Attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity syndrome
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- Hyperkinetic disorder
- Hyperkinetic syndrome