ning and thinking, and the subcortical region comprises a relay system sending messages to the memory and processing areas of the brain. ADHD children appear to have frontal lobe and prefrontal lobe dysfunction. These findings are important because the frontal and motor cortex regions play a role in attention, impulsivity and motor activity. Children with ADHD may also show decreased blood flow in the frontal lobes. Electroencephalograms of boys with ADHD show increased slow-wave activity in the frontal regions.
Neurochemical research has looked at catecholamine neurotransmitters involved in attentional systems (dopamine and norepinephrine) which relay messages through neural circuits that control motivation and motor behaviors (Ballard et al, 1997). The medications used to treat children with ADHD increase the release of catecholamines and therefore enable the brain to inhibit unwanted behaviors such as hyperactivity, which, in turn, increases attention span.
ADHD may be the result of dysfunction
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