"Many ADHD and ADD people have increased glutamine and not enough GABA due to a problem with the conversion from glutamine to GABA or they don't have enough GABA receptors (many times genetic and with increased disposition due to heavy metal toxicity). Glutamine out of balance leads to increased ammonia and has shown to lead to neurotoxicity and possible neuron death to due to influx of calcium into cells (Magnesium helps with the cell membrane to slow down this process) One of the first and very simple ways to help with this balance is to take gluten out of the diet. Increase magnesium, GABA increasing herbs are good here (melissa, california poppy, passiflora, linden are some) Bacopa may help with the conversion and in some studies they are indicating that if may also increase GABA receptors. I see mostly children with ADD, ADHD and it has been my experience that diet plays a huge role and though not simple with this population can be very effective. A glycerite with the above mentioned herbs is palatable or a tea, omegas, D, and homeopathics. Check b utilization and suspect issues with methylation." - from clinical herbalist, Sherri Stickler

Brain imaging reveals ADHD as a collection of different disorders (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/11/171107140834.htm)

DIFFERENTIATE BIPOLAR DISORDER FROM ADHD, OR BOTH?

Bipolar disorder: core feature – mood/affective disorder, usually recognized in adolescence or later
ADHD: core feature – cognitive disorder affecting focus, concentration and memory, usually recognized in childhood (by 7 yo)

ADHD is a bit of misnomer because its not really attention deficit disorder and this is what fools many physicians. A deficit means there’s a lack of attention but its really an attention inconsistency. When children are interested in something, such as a computer game, they focus very well. It’s the dry, boring stuff, the things you have to learn in school where the problem arises. Young children who are having trouble keeping up with their peers start getting anxious and depressed, even in the 9 to 10 age group. From there they may get into substance abuse and often opposition defiant disorder, perhaps other problems with behavior (stealing, lying, fire setting).

When you start peeling away the layers and discover that the problem started in the teenage years and it has to do with affect, you’re most likely dealing with bipolar. If it started at 7 or 8 and the core feature is cognitive and learning, you’re most likely dealing with ADHD.

Impact of development on ADHD.

Inattention starts at around age 4,5,6 and often increases throughout life because ADHD has a condition that affects the frontal lobe as well as certain areas of the deeper brain.

Impulsivity may drop towards adulthood as well as hyperactivity as the frontal lobe develops. Many young girls don’t show hyperactivity at all, they sit very quietly as their mind wanders.

Co-morbidity (problems with substance abuse, with the law, marriages and jobs) increases over time. So anyone who presents with depression, substance abuse, anxiety, needs to be screened for ADHD and Bipolar disorder.

There’s also a 20-30% overlap between these two disorders.

For every ten adults with a mood disorder, one of them also has ADHD

Comorbidities in Adults with ADHD Prevalence (approximate values)

Major Depressive disorder 10%
Dysthymia 20%
Bipolar Disorder 20-30%
Any anxiety disorder 10%
Alcohol dependence 10%
Drug dependence 20%

When there’s both a cognitive and mood disorder, always treat the mood disorder first.

Very often, treating the affective disorder will allow the cognitive disorder to improve.

Formula for ADHD: 70 ml Bacopa monneira; 50 ml Ginkgo biloba; 30 ml Valerian; 30 ml Panax ginseng; 30 ml Melissa officinalis.

Dose is 5 ml t.i.d.

Podcast - The Functional Medicine Approach to ADHD, with Dr. Jim Greenblatt

Articles/Studies

Beyond Adderall: Nutritional and Botanical Options for ADHD Symptom Relief

ADHD as a developmental issue, not a medical one
Scientists Reveal How ADHD Could Fuel Creative Thinking . ADHD-related attention patterns may become a source of creativity and focus when supported through structured creative expression. How can ADHD create serious everyday challenges for millions of people while also appearing among highly successful creative figures such as Justin Timberlake and Simone Biles?
Half a century of research on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A scientometric study.
MRI Scans Show Few Brain Differences in Children With ADHD
4 Facts About ADHD That Should Always Make You Question Your Child’s Teacher or Doctor About “ADHD”
Psychotropics / Pediatric Disorders
How Sunlight Could Shed Light on ADHD Kids
Genomic analysis in samples of Neanderthals and modern humans shows a decrease in ADHD-associated genetic variants (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200527123344.htm)
Serum Occludin and Zonulin Levels in Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Healthy Controls.
ADHD as an Asset in Entrepreneurship
ADHD May Make You More Creative

People with ADHD tend to be more creative, and this advantage may stem from a greater tendency for their minds to wander. The study is the first to directly connect ADHD traits, creativity, and the two types of mind wandering—spontaneous and deliberate.

Risk Factors

How Childhood Trauma Could be Mistaken for ADHD
Team links children’s microbiome with autism, ADHD
Prenatal fluoride exposure and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in children.
Serum BPA levels in adult ADHD patients were found to be significantly higher than in healthy controls.
Popular ADHD Medications Like Adderall May Increase Young Adults’ Risk of Heart Damage
Association of bisphenol A, bisphenol F, and bisphenol S with ADHD symptoms in children.
ADHD linked to hoarding behavior (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/02/220225135652.htm) New research has found that people with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are significantly more likely to also exhibit hoarding behaviors, which can have a serious impact on their quality of life.
Maternal Consumption of Soft Drinks May Be Linked to ADHD Symptoms in Offspring
Link Discovered Between ADHD and Dementia Across Generations
ADHD, Bipolar, and Aggressive Behavior May Be Driven by High Fructose Intake
Big data study identifies drugs that increase risk of psychosis in youth with ADHD (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190320171704.htm)
Young People Explain Side-effects of ADHD Drugs
Persistence of ADHD into adulthood is an important predictor of car crash risk (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200818142135.htm)
Kids With ADHD Make 6.1M Doctor Visits a Year: CDC
Water Fluoridation linked to ADHD, Obesity and Depression
MRI shows brain differences among ADHD patients
Brain differences in ADHD
ADHD May Increase Risk Of Parkinson’s Disease
Fatty acid deficiency symptoms are common in children with ADHD.
These results point to a possible link of certain microbiota with ADHD.
The evidence from this meta-analysis supports the theory that an inverse relationship between serum magnesium deficiency and ADHD exists.
Adolescents who play more than one hour of console or Internet video games may have more or more intense symptoms of ADHD or inattention than those who do not.
Artificial colours or a sodium benzoate preservative (or both) in the diet result in increased hyperactivity in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the general population. -
Artificial food colouring is associated with neurobehavioral toxicity in children with hyperactive syndromes.
Celiac disease is markedly overrepresented among patients presenting with ADHD.
Perfluorinated compound exposure in children has been linked to impulse control problems.
Seasonally dependent early developmental mechanisms might play a role in increasing lifetime disease risk.
The presence of food preservatives and artifical food colourings in the diet may play a significant role in the etiology of ADHD in children.
This study has empirically demonstrated an association between more widespread exposure to fluoridated water and increased ADHD prevalence in U.S. children and adolescents.
Prolonged exposure to a low-dose of bisphenol A increases spontaneous motor activity in adult male rats.
Vitamin D Deficiency in Pregnancy Linked to Higher ADHD Risk in Children
Association between hyperactivity and sugar-sweetened beverages consumption in schoolchildren.

ADHD

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Examining Early Neural & Behavioral Predictors of Childhood ADHD

Modern concepts of ADHD

What ADHD Feels like, animation

Signs of anxiety and ADHD to look for in your children

Psychedelics and ADHD

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Impact of development on ADHD.

Comorbidities in Adults with ADHD Prevalence (approximate values)

Podcast - The Functional Medicine Approach to ADHD, with Dr. Jim Greenblatt

Articles/Studies

Risk Factors

Prevention

Treatment

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