Diagnosis of Adult-Onset ADHD

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Diagnosis of Adult-Onset ADHD

Diagnosis of Adult-Onset ADHD

Diagnosis of Adult-Onset ADHD

ADHD used to be understood as an illness exclusively experienced in childhood. However, Adult-Onset ADHD is raising questions about the brain disorder.

New data suggests that some people experience ADHD in adulthood without having been diagnosed with ADHD in childhood. Theories suggest that there may exist two distinct syndromes: adult-onset ADHD and childhood ADHD.  Researchers believe that childhood-onset and adulthood-onset of ADHD, may reflect different causes.  Adult-onset ADHD is not as clear as simply developing ADHD as an adult, though.

What Causes Adult-Onset ADHD?

More studies are needed to determine the nuances of this disorder.  It is unclear exactly what causes a late onset of ADHD.

It is possible that some people with symptoms of ADHD in adulthood do not have ADHD at all, but rather an unrelated mental health problem such as an addiction, or stress.

It is also possible that it is not a late onset of ADHD, but rather a concealed mental health issue during childhood.  One could have had some characteristics of ADHD, but didn’t meet the official criteria for a diagnosis in their youth. Thus, this would cause individuals to seek treatment for ADHD later on in life. There may have been signs during childhood that things weren’t going too well, but the symptoms and signs weren’t bad enough to go see a doctor until they were older.  Growing up, they may have had supportive environments that let them learn in creative ways, but as soon as those environments changed into holding down jobs with rigid deadlines and strict bosses, these individuals started experiencing symptoms more prominently, causing problems in their lives.

What is the understanding of Adult-Onset ADHD Now?

While an understanding of ADHD has evolved to include adult sufferers, there remains controversy around the diagnosis.

Even though the condition can look very different at different ages, the conventional wisdom remains that adults with ADHD also had it as children.

Much of the recent literature on adult ADHD is fresh, since it’s a relatively new diagnosis.

These findings raise questions, such as how to adequately treat adult patients, and how should clinicians evaluate adults who have no childhood history of ADHD.

What to Do If You Believe You Have ADHD

Dr. Gordon is an experienced ADHD expert. He is devoted to helping you learn more about ADHD and find solutions for each individual’s needs. Please feel free to contact Dr. Gordon at DrGordon@pathwaysna.com for any concerns or questions regarding ADHD about yourself, or a loved one.

Dr. Gordon is an experienced ADHD expert. He is devoted to helping you learn more about ADHD and find solutions for each individual’s needs. Please feel free to contact us for any concerns or questions regarding ADHD about yourself, or a loved one.

The Pathways team of professionals has helped thousands of people with ADHD. We are Dedicated to effective and compassionate care for individuals with neurological challenges.

LET’S GET STARTED

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Source: Pathways Neuropsychology
Diagnosis of Adult-Onset ADHD

What is CTE?

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What is CTE?

brain injury, traumatic brain injury, tai, concussions

What is CTE?

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in people with a history of repeated brain trauma.

The constant brain trauma triggers progressive degeneration of the brain tissue, including the build-up of an abnormal protein called tau.

These changes in the brain can begin months, years, or even decades after the last brain trauma.

How do you get CTE?

CTE includes both concussions that cause symptoms and subconcussive hits to the head that cause no symptoms.

CTE has been known to affect athletes in sports such as Football and Boxing.

At this time, the number or type of hits to the head needed to trigger degenerative changes to the brain is unknown.

Other factors such as genetics, may play a role in the development of CTE, because people without a history of repeated brain trauma can develop this disease.

What are the symptoms of CTE?

The symptoms of CTE include memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, impulse control problems, aggression, depression, anxiety, suicidality, parkinsonism, and, eventually, progressive dementia.

These symptoms often begin years or decades after the last brain trauma.

How is CTE diagnosed?

Currently, CTE can only be diagnosed after death.

Researchers are working on finding biomarkers and other indicators to help detect it in the living, with further hope that such findings can help lead to potential treatments and a better understanding of CTE.

It is not clear how frequently people experience CTE related issues, but the risk of CTE is worrisome enough that it is important to focus on ways to reduce total overall exposure to repeated hits, such as limiting head-to-head contact.

Can CTE be cured? What can I do if I think I have CTE?

Unfortunately, there is no cure for CTE at this time.

Some of the symptoms of CTE like depression and anxiety, can be treated individually.

CTE develops early, soon after an injury, and it’s progressive.

If you believe you or a loved one may have CTE or other brain related injuries, please contact us.

The Pathways team of professionals has helped thousands of people with CTE and other brain related injuries. We are Dedicated to effective and compassionate care for individuals with neurological challenges.

LET’S GET STARTED

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Source: Pathways Neuropsychology
What is CTE?

ADHD Linked With Higher Rates Of Anxiety

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ADHD Linked With Higher Rates Of Anxiety

ADHD ADD ritalin ADHD evaluation testing

ADHD Linked With Higher Rates Of Anxiety

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) face an increased risk for anxiety, according to new research.

Anxiety disorder is common among children with ADHD. Recognizing and treating anxiety can lead to improved quality of life for patients and their families. The study demonstrated that children with ADHD had 2.2 times the risk of anxiety disorder and 2.7 times the risk of other mood disorders.

Questions Remain

It is important to note that the specific relationship among anxiety and ADHD is unclear. The study did not provide a comparison to peers without diagnoses of ADHD, because they do not possess data on standard peers.

However,  researchers posited that there could be several reasons for these results. One possible reason is based on genetics. Another reason is that one condition is an early manifestation of the other, or that the development of one increases the risk for the other.         

Going forward, an important area for further research is clarifying how mood and anxiety disorders may present in ADHD populations so that clinicians and families may screen, assess, and diagnose these disorders.

As for clinicians today, those who treat children with ADHD should be vigilant about screening for anxiety and mood symptoms. Recognizing these mental health disorders is the first important step toward treatment.           

Simple tools to combat Anxiety:

1. Taking a deep Breath:

Deep diaphragmatic breathing is a powerful anxiety-reducing technique because it activates the body’s relaxation response. It helps the body go from the fight-or-flight response of the sympathetic nervous system to the relaxed response of the parasympathetic nervous system.

A breathing exercise you can try is slowly inhaling for four seconds, holding your breath for four seconds, and then slowly exhaling for four seconds and repeat as many times you find necessary.

2. Positive Self-Talk:

Anxiety can produce a lot of negative chatter. That is why it is important to reassure yourself with positive coping statements. These statements vary widely because it depends on the individual, but the most important part is that it keeps you grounded and in a positive space.

3. Accepting Your Anxiety:

Acceptance is critical because trying to wrangle or eliminate anxiety often worsens it. Remember that anxiety is just a feeling that will subside. It is important to realize that accepting your anxiety doesn’t mean liking it or resigning yourself to a miserable existence, rather that you are able to go through the emotional turmoil and come out the other side.

It is important to note that these solutions are not the be all end all and that it is still important to seek professional help to fully deal with these issues.

LET’S GET STARTED

Dr. Gordon is an experienced ADHD expert. He is devoted to helping you learn more about ADHD and find solutions for each individual’s needs. Please feel free to contact us for any concerns or questions regarding ADHD about yourself, or a loved one.

The Pathways team of professionals has helped thousands of people with ADHD. We are Dedicated to effective and compassionate care for individuals with neurological challenges.

The post ADHD Linked With Higher Rates Of Anxiety appeared first on Pathways Neuropsychology Associates.


Source: Pathways Neuropsychology
ADHD Linked With Higher Rates Of Anxiety

Behavioral Management Video

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Behavioral Management Video

The Pathways team of professionals has helped thousands of people with brain injuries. We are Dedicated to effective and compassionate care for individuals with neurological challenges.

Contact Pathways Neuropsychology Associates for help today. We have treatment and solutions available for your neurological challenges.

LET’S GET STARTED

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Source: Pathways Neuropsychology
Behavioral Management Video

Differences In Brain Structure For Children With A.D.H.D

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Differences In Brain Structure For Children With A.D.H.D

Differences In Brain Structure For Children With A.D.H.D

Significant differences are present in the brains of those with and without A.D.H.D as early as preschool according to a new study published in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society.

Changes include a smaller brain, and reductions in the size of several specific regions, including the frontal lobes. The magnitude of those reductions predicted how bad their A.D.H.D. is.

It is more common for an A.D.H.D. diagnosis to be made when children have trouble in school, rather than in the preschool years. That’s partly because there are few demands for most 3-year-olds to sit still and focus, and it is considered developmentally normal to be somewhat boisterous at that age. 

This study has contributed to the belief in the biological basis of A.D.H.D. However, what matters most is how the brain grows and changes; it’s the trajectory that needs to be understood, and which will help project future function and target help.

How Where The Four And Five Year Old Kids Coaxed Into Taking This Fancy Brain Scans?

Dr. Mahone’s team would bring the children in for practice sessions in a mock scanner, which looks and sounds just like a regular M.R.I. machine. If the child has trouble holding still, they can practice with a motion detector worn on the forehead, while watching a favorite movie that shuts off if the child moves.

It is important to acknowledge that the need to stay still for the scans may mean that the study included only children with more moderate symptoms.

The Takeaway

This is the first comprehensive study to have used M.R.I. scans on the brains of children as young as 4 with A.D.H.D. symptoms. This is a descriptive study that cannot establish cause and effect. But looking at these children’s brains as they change over time will be very important in providing invaluable data that allows us to learn more about children with A.D.H.D.

This study and others like it may help to identify A.D.H.D earlier on and start behavioral interventions as early as possible to improve outcomes.

Dr. Gordon is an experienced ADHD expert. He is devoted to helping you learn more about ADHD and find solutions for each individual’s needs. Please feel free to contact us for any concerns or questions regarding ADHD about yourself, or a loved one.

The Pathways team of professionals has helped thousands of people with ADHD. We are Dedicated to effective and compassionate care for individuals with neurological challenges.

LET’S GET STARTED

The post Differences In Brain Structure For Children With A.D.H.D appeared first on Pathways Neuropsychology Associates.


Source: Pathways Neuropsychology
Differences In Brain Structure For Children With A.D.H.D