ADHD also afflicts adults

COMMONLY believed to be a childhood disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can also be found in adulthood.

About 4% of adults suffer from ADHD but this number could be higher as, owing to a lack of awareness, it often goes undiagnosed.

Psychiatrist Dr Laura Comrie, of Netcare Akeso in Kenilworth, said research indicated that ADHD persisted from childhood to adulthood in 25% to 50% of those diagnosed.

“ADHD tends to present more commonly in men, with the hyperactive/ impulsive type being most prevalent in that sex. These individuals will often choose a line of work that involves physical activity rather than sitting at a desk,” Comrie said.

Inattentive ADHD was commonly found in women and went undiagnosed more often than hyperactive/ impulsive or combined ADHD because it was less visible, she said.

“The disorder occurs on a spectrum, so it is more severe in some than in others. Many people are quite functional and have systems in place to help them manage their condition.

“Those with ADHD often have a strong entrepreneurial spirit as they tend to be creative thinkers and can experience incredible levels of focus on subjects about which they are passionate. At the same time, they can really struggle with more mundane tasks in life, such as doing the bookkeeping or remembering to run an errand,” she said.

This behaviour could frustrate family members and colleagues but this was out of the control of the person with ADHD, Comrie said, because it was a neurological disorder requiring medical intervention.

The disorder affects the delivery of two neurotransmitters – dopamine and noradrenaline, also known as norepinephrine – to the front part of the brain which controls planning, organisation, maintaining focus during routine tasks and similar neural processes.

“In people with ADHD, dopamine and noradrenaline are not being properly delivered to the front part of the brain, affecting the brain’s function. This has been studied with the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which has clearly shown measurable differences in the brains of those with ADHD and those without it,” she said.