ADHD and the Brain
“The human brain is the best organized, most complex , highest functioning object in the universe.” (Kenneth Wesson)
An adult brain weighs about 3 pounds and has over 1 trillion cells (100 billion of them are neurons) and the cell connections within the brain number about 1 quadrillion. The brain stores bits of information and can accomplish processes of unfathomable complexity. Unlike a computer (which simply regurgitates information) the brain can initiate new thoughts and experience emotions. The brain is a highly organized structure made up of 3 distinct sections.
a) Brain Stem – this is the most primitive part deep within the skull. It is similar in appearance to a reptile’s brain and controls unconscious body functions (eg. breathing, heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure). It works tirelessly and continuously performing its functions throughout your lifetime.
b) Cerebellum – The primary function of this small grey structure that surrounds the brain stem coordinates purposeful movement.
c) Cerebral Cortex – This outer portion of the brain deals with behaviour, concepts, emotions and personality. It is the part of the brain that distinguishes humans from lower animals. It is divided down the middle into 2 hemispheres and each hemisphere is divided into 4 lobes. The frontal lobe is the part of the brain that assigns priorities and sends signals to other portions of the brain. Among its many jobs is to:
- organize information
- interpret information
- evaluate information
- weed out unimportant information
- assign priorities
Most researchers and doctors suspect that it is frontal lobe malfunction that is responsible for ADHD.