Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is commonly known as a childhood syndrome. Typical ADD symptoms are impulsiveness, hyperactivity, and a short attention span, which often leads to learning disabilities and various behavioral problems.The exact definition of ADD is, "an inability to control behavior due to difficulty in processing neural stimuli". There are three different levels of ADD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Attention Deficit Inattention Disorder, and Attention Deficit Impulsive Disorder.
Attention Deficit Disorder is a disorder that one cannot control. Sometimes, it becomes so hard to hold back interruptions or impulses that it becomes embarrassing. It cannot be controlled; it is involuntary.
The brain of the person with the disorder thinks it is normal so they just impulsively respond to situations. Not knowing that what they are doing is disruptive, they repeat these actions because their brain has thought this way ever since they were born.
ADD is one of the best-researched disorders. Even though it is researched in such a great degree, its cause is still unknown. However, research suggests that it is a neurobiological condition, which is to say that it has to do with the nerves in the brain and that it is genetic. It is proven that ADD runs in the family.
The most frequently stated cause of Attention Deficit Disorder is, "the involvement of the prefrontal cortex, part of the cerebellum and at least two of the clusters of the nerve cells deep in the brain known as the basal ganglia" (Philip W. Long, MD).
According to Dr Long, “the right prefrontal cortex and two basal ganglia known as the caudate nucleus and globus palliclus are smaller than usual in a child with ADD". Additionally, the vermis region of the cerebellum is smaller. This is understandable as the areas that are significantly smaller are those that regulate attention.
It is also stated that mutations in several genes are the reason for the reduced sections in the brain. Most researches believe that it is a polygenetic disorder, i.e., more than one gene is contributing to the disorder.