Kids With ADHD Have Unusual Brain Wiring

New NIH study finds that the brains of kids with ADHD have atypical connections. credit: Canva

Researchers have found unusual connections in the brains of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to a report published Wednesday in the American Journal of Psychiatry. In kids with ADHD, a National Institutes of Health study found atypical wiring between the brain’s frontal cortex and deeper centers in the brain where information is processed. These findings increase our understanding of ADHD and add biological evidence to help bust persistent myths that blame parents. The researchers hope that continued investigations into how the ADHD brain really works could lead to more effective treatments.

ADHD Is Common In Children

Approximately 9% of children between ages 3 and 17 currently carry a diagnosis of ADHD, according to recent statistics. That diagnosis typically happens around age 7 but may happen earlier in children with more severe symptoms. The early age of presentation, which is a criteria for ADHD diagnosis, and the fact that ADHD has a 74% heritability rate, is additional evidence of ADHD’s biological nature.

The NIH study, which included 10,000 functional brain images from 8,000 youth, reinforces the reality that children with ADHD are neuroatypical. In other words, the evidence debunks the persistent (but false) myth that “bad parenting” causes ADHD in children.