A new study that compares the brain scans of more than 100 people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, with those of people who do not have the condition is giving researchers and insight into the brain activity that occurs between the two groups and highlights the differences in brain function. The data that they have collected has led them to believe that the differences in brain activity between these two subjects groups suggests the slower maturation of brain connections in subjects with ADHD. The condition was especially prevalent in the areas of the brain that are associated with some of the symptoms of ADHD. The study, however, was inconclusive and did not suggest how ADHD diagnosis can be improved based on these results alone.
This research was conducted by a team of scientists from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan, and their results have been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Other experts in the field say that, although the data that they have collected were generally accurate, their proposition that these brain scan results could help doctors diagnose ADHD is still too much in the early stages of analysis to be precise. In fact, the researchers were not able to validate the singular, or combination, use of these brain scans as a means of diagnosing ADHD.
Further research into the subject was recommended in order to substantiate their recommendations and provide a more comprehensive understanding about the neurological basis of ADHD. A larger scope study on a more diverse group of subjects is proposed so that more insight could be revealed regarding the concept of using this method to diagnose the condition. This type of study could even lead to the discovery of new avenues of treatment for ADHD if the proper control parameters are used. At the moment, ADHD is diagnosed using a formal assessment carried out by related health professionals such as learning disability specialists, social workers, occupational therapists, or psychiatrists who have extensive knowledge and experience about ADHD.
