Does ADD Really Exist? How to Answer this Question, Part 2
In Part 1, I gave some suggestions on how to deal with those people who claim that ADD doesn’t exist, it’s not a real condition, you know the people who pretend that they can make prouncements of the validity of a medical condition without a medical degree or background. Can you imagine saying to someone
“Well Bob, I know your background as a carpet installer makes you an expert on the human body and mind, so tell me, is diabetes a real condition, or just a drug company conspiracy?”
I also gave a list of medical, psychological and governmental organizations that say ADD does exist and is a real conditon. In this section I’ll give links to online articles giving clinical evidence of ADD as a real condition. Warning scientific jargon ahead.
Clinical Evidence of the Existence of ADD as a Real Condition.
Brain Imaging Data of ADHD
Psychiatric Times August 2004 Vol. XXI Issue 9. Amir Raz, Ph.D. Assistant professor of clinical neuroscience in the department of psychiatry, at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Documents how advances in the functional imaging of the living brain are shedding new light on our understanding of the pathogenesis, pathophysiology and treatment of ADHD.
Two anterior regions of the corpus callosum were significantly smaller in ADHD boys.
MRI scans assessed the frontal circuitry in 18 ADHD boys in comparison to 18 matched controls. They found that two anterior regions of the corpus callosum (the rostrum and the rostral body) were significantly smaller and concluded that this was evidence for frontal lobe dysfunction and abnormal development. The callosal fibres in the rostral body relate to the premotor cortex which is critical for “the suppression of relatively automatic responses to certain sensory stimuli”. This is consistent with a defect in the person’s ability to inhibit responses, which is considered by Barkley to be the fundamental deficit in ADHD.
The genetics of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Waldman ID, Gizer IR. Emory University, United States. Over the past 15 years, considerable progress has been made in understanding the etiology of childhood Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), largely due to the publication of numerous twin studies which are consistent in suggesting substantial genetic influences (i.e., heritabilities ranging from 60% to 90%)….Following from these quantitative genetic findings, numerous molecular genetic studies of association and linkage between ADHD and a variety of candidate genes have been conducted during the past 10 years. The majority of the candidate genes studied underlie various facets of the dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin neurotransmitter systems…In this paper, we review recent findings from candidate gene studies of childhood ADHD and highlight those candidate genes for which associations are most replicable and which thus appear most promising.
Cerebral glucose metabolism in adults with ADHD
The New England Journal of Medicine
Researchers measured adults with ADHD with a PET scan. None of the adults had ever been treated with stimulant medication. RESULTS. Global cerebral glucose metabolism was 8.1 percent lower in the adults with hyperactivity than in the normal controls. The largest reductions were in the premotor cortex and the superior prefrontal cortex–areas earlier shown to be involved in the control of attention and motor activity. The largest reductions were in the premotor cortex and the superior prefrontal cortex–areas earlier shown to be involved in the control of attention and motor activity.
The genetics of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Over the past 15 years, considerable progress has been made in understanding the etiology of childhood Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), largely due to the publication of numerous twin studies which are consistent in suggesting substantial genetic influences (i.e., heritabilities ranging from 60% to 90%)….Following from these quantitative genetic findings, numerous molecular genetic studies of association and linkage between ADHD and a variety of candidate genes have been conducted during the past 10 years. The majority of the candidate genes studied underlie various facets of the dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin neurotransmitter systems…In this paper, we review recent findings from candidate gene studies of childhood ADHD and highlight those candidate genes for which associations are most replicable and which thus appear most promising.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry.
The dopamine theory of ADHD is supported by neuroimaging, genetic and stimulant medication studies, which confirm an inhibitory dopaminergic effect at striatal/prefrontal level. Anterior and posterior attention systems are involved in inhibition, working memory and orientation. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms and subtypes are likely to reflect deficits in both inhibition and working memory, and may be heterogenous.
Normal asymmetry between the volumes of right and left caudate nuclei was absent in ADHD children
Castellanos found that the normal asymmetry between the volumes of right and left caudate nuclei was absent in ADHD children. It does appear that there is dysfunction between the prefrontal cortex and the striatum (i.e. caudate and putamen) in ADHD sufferers.
Right fronto-striatal abnormalities in hyperactive adolescents
during motor response inhibition in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London UK.
Hyperactive adolescents showed 63 percent less brain activation than controls while performing the difficult motor response inhibition paradigm. The functional underactivation affected right-hemispheric mesial and inferior frontal regions. Left-sided caudate and right and left insula, however, showed a stronger signal increase in hyperactives compared to controls. The results suggest that ADHD is associated with an abnormal functioning of right-hemispheric brain areas, particularly of inferior frontal and striatal regions during motor response inhibition. The decrease of brain activity in frontal regions and the increase of brain activity in subcortical regions suggest a dynamic imbalance in interconnections between right frontal cortex and basal ganglia, which may be the underlying cause for the disinhibitory pathology in ADHD.
Volumetric MRI analysis comparing subjects having ADHD
with normal controls. Despite similar hemispheric volumes, ADHD subjects had smaller volumes of (1) left total caudate and caudate head (p <0.04), with reversed asymmetry (p < 0.03); (2) right anterior-superior (frontal) region en bloc (p < 0.03) arid white matter (p < 0.01); (3) bilateral anterior-inferior region en bloc (p <0.04); and (4) bilateral retrocallosal (parietal-occipital) region white matter (p < 0.03). Possible structural correlates of ADHD response to stimulants were noted in an exploratory analysis, with the smallest and symmetric caudate, and smallest left anterior-superior cortex volumes found in the responders, but reversed caudate asymmetry and the smallest retrocallosal white matter volumes noted in the nonresponders.
International Consensus Statement on ADHD
From Attitude Magazine. 75 international scientists were deeply concerned about the periodic inaccurate portrayal of ADHD in media reports. So they “created this consensus statement on ADHD as a reference on the status of the scientific findings concerning this disorder, its validity, and its adverse impact on the lives of those diagnosed with the disorder as of this writing (January 2002)”
Here’s one particular quote I like
To publish stories that ADHD is a fictitious disorder or merely a conflict between today’s Huckleberry Finns and their caregivers is tantamount to declaring the earth flat, the laws of gravity debatable, and the periodic table in chemistry a fraud.
From CHADD. Adapted from “AD/HD: Debunking the Myths,” by Peter Jensen, M.D. Some good examples.
Real Science Defines AD/HD as Real Disorder
From CHADD. Some of the most prestigious scientific-based organizations in the world conclude that AD/HD is a real disorder with potentially devastating consequences when not properly identified, diagnosed, and treated. Excerpts from the following organizations.
American Medical Association (AMA), Surgeon General of the United States, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)
Excellent article. Lot’s of great resources.
I worry that it’s all for naught, though. As my brother has wisely counseled me, “Never argue with idiots.” I don’t know anybody who felt AD/HD didn’t exist that could be swayed from their opinion with argument, informed or otherwise. Some of these people seem to want an excuse to hate and thinking that AD/HD is a figment of somebody’s imagination gives them the excuse they were looking for. Then they can superiorly think anybody who believes differently than them is a simpleton duped by psychologists. Mostly, they just don’t want to give us a break for something they believe is a character flaw. I go into that a bit in my latest column, “Dealing with Distractibility”. I’d love your input on it if you had the time.
In the meantime, I’m bookmarking this blog entry. Not everyone I bump into is an idiot.
Sometimes they just need a bit of information to help them see more clearly.
Comment by Douglas Cootey March 19, 2006 @
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The Biggest Scam which creates harm to the Individuals that HAVE ADHD, Including the ADULTS - (not only children have it) is that people ignore the fact that Today the ADHD is considered one of the best researched disorders in American History and the overall data on its validity are far more compelling than for most mental disorders and even many medical conditions,” according to the American Medical Association Council on Scientific Affairs.
Please let us not forget that Dr. Baughman one of the most influential naysayers RETIRED in 1993, he was a CHILD Neurologist – so many advances have occurred not only in Science but technology, that allows us to be able to learn more about it.
Now, correct me if I am wrong, but has Dr Baughman been PERSONALLY involved in ANY randomized controlled scientific meta studies, clinical trials or research, based upon ADHD? In Any studies that have been acknowledged by the Medical boards? Especially in the past 10 Years, with the advancements of science and technology? And especially with Adults who have the disorder.. ADULTS who can articulate, and express their experiences better than children! Adults who can express their considerable frustrations and pain dealing with Untreated ADHD?
Noted Quote -
Although he is frequently cited by CCHR and has written articles in support of Applied Scholastics, Dr. Baughman is generally regarded as an unrepresentative and ill-informed voice on learning disabilities. The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) told the Congressional Committee on Education and the Workforce in a letter of September 29, 2000 that Dr. Baughman “represent[s] fringe opinions about the disorder and about psychiatry.” His position is certainly at odds with mainstream research and ignores the findings of a huge amount of research from around the world.
Yes, indeed, the biggest fraud are articles and the individuals who really haven’t invested the time researching the disorder with individuals (ADULT) individuals who suffer from it day to day. and whom can share their Life Experience.
That indeed is a disservice to the public
He has been noted to say that scientific research has yet to prove him wrong.. i say that the Complete OPPOSITE is true. P.S, has anyone noticed also or is it just me, but it is very difficult to respond to many if not most of the sites that present these uninformed, personal prejudices? and if you do get to post, very rarely would you see your responses as they are being censored?
Especially noted by many of the “peers” and friends of Baughman? It does make one wonder.
from Living Proof
Comment by living proof October 7, 2007 @