Find a therapist to help with ADHD

Medication-naïve children with ADHD have lower brain iron content, as compared to peers.

Starting psychostimulant treatment earlier, rather than later, was associated with more brain iron.

The elevated brain iron levels were associated with increased dopamine function and reduced symptoms.

This is a story about iron: What does it do in the brain, and why should someone with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) care?

ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in school-age children and adolescents. The disorder is characterized by inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. It can cause individuals to have significant challenges with everyday tasks and social interactions.

In my opinion, as a neuroscientist who specializes in brain chemistry, the underlying cause of such a complex psychiatric condition should never be distilled into the dysfunction of a single neurotransmitter system. For example, neuroscientists now realize that psychosis is not a problem with the health of dopamine neurons and that depression has very little to do with serotonin neuronal activity. (To learn more, click here.) Gross oversimplifications of the underlying mechanisms of these disorders have greatly slowed the discovery of effective therapies for them.

With these cautions in mind, let’s examine the role of iron in the function of dopamine neurons in the brains of children........

© Psychology Today