Medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adolescents can bring about changes in the structure and functioning of their brains. A study by the University of Cincinnati (UC) plans to understand the changes in the brain of adolescents with ADHD, before and after medication.

Psychostimulant medication Adderall is usually used for ADHD and the effects can be examined with the help of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The researchers want to examine the structure and functionality of the brains of ADHD patients who have a probability of suffering from bipolar disorder.

Disorders like ADHD mostly occur in young people and symptoms manifest in the form of hyperactivity, getting fidgety, difficulty in focusing and a constant urge to frequently get up from whatever they are doing. This not only hampers the performance of children at school but can have a negative impact at home or in social environments.

“Deficits in attention during childhood and early adolescence frequently precede the emergence of bipolar disorder in youth who have a family member with bipolar disorder,” says lead researcher of the study Robert McNamara, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience and director of the Lipidomics Research Program.

ADHD medication may trigger bipolar disorder

According to the researchers, youths who are at risk of developing bipolar disorder often had ADHD earlier and were prescribed psychostimulants. However, it is not clear whether this triggers the onset of the bipolar problem.

According to McNamara, the researchers want to study the early changes in the brain precipitated by psychostimulant medication. This will help in understanding how a conventional treatment for ADHD may influence the at-risk youths.

He said that such studies help put to rest any misconception and doubts in the minds of physicians treating ADHD patients. Physicians would get to know about the risk factors behind bipolar in an ADHD patient and would be able to keep a close vigil on such patients after they are prescribed a psychostimulant. This would help them in adopting a completely different treatment strategy if needed.

The researchers also aim at investigating whether any deficiency in omega-3 fatty acid, evident in people who are at a high risk of developing bipolar disorder, has a role in influencing changes in the brain due to medications like psychostimulants.

Omega-3 fatty acids, primarily present in fish, play a vital role in the development of human brains, say studies. Stressing on this, McNamara said that prior studies have indicated that adolescents with a high risk of developing bipolar have a very low level of omega-3 fatty acids, which can heavily influence a different behavioral response to a psychostimulant.

Dealing with mental conditions

Mental health conditions, be it ADHD, bipolar, anxiety disorder or depression, need urgent attention and intervention. If the treatment is delayed, symptoms may exacerbate and snowball into bigger issues later. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 10.2 percent children in the age group of 5–17 years have been diagnosed with ADHD, so far.

If a loved one has a mental health condition, contact Sovereign Mental Health Services, which offers comprehensive and holistic treatment procedures while addressing mental health disorders of patients. With centers in all the major cities in the U.S., we offer long-term recovery to patients. Call at our 24/7 helpline number 866–973–7164 for a quick resolution. Whether it is inpatient mental health treatment centers in California or at a place closer home, help is just a call away. Our residential mental health treatment in California is among the best in the country.