Analyzing The Espina Study

According to the lead author of the study, Sarina J. Grosswald Ed.D., "The effect was much greater than we expected". Improvements were found in attention, behavior regulation, memory and organization.

What biological explanation is provided by the sponsor (Shire Development) in the document for ADHD?

memory and recollection. Research suggests that after a brain is exposed to excessive amounts of

Early research indicates that children who suffer from this disorder often exhibit brain differences from their “normal” counterparts. One longitudinal study that followed children with ADHD over a ten year period discovered many of these differences. Researchers noted that children who were diagnosed with ADHD seemed to have brains that were 3-4% smaller than their counterparts (Chaban & Tannock, 2009). Areas that were seen to be smaller were those that were involved in the processes of concentration, inhibition, impulse control, and motor activity (Chaban & Tannock, 2009).

additives, a study was done and it showed that very few ADHD children benefited from a

According to the National Academy of Sciences recent study, the main ingredient in marijuana called tetrahydrocannabinol (also known as THC) had been proven to decrease the size of brain capacity. In their records of data they had stated “...researchers looked at 48 adults who used the drug at least three times a day, for an average of eight or nine years, and 62 people who didn't use marijuana. It turned out that the people who had been smoking pot daily for at least four years had a smaller volume of gray matter in a brain region called the orbitofrontal cortex, which previous research had linked to addiction”(1). As a result in my research I have found that a prolonged usage of medical cannabis massively affects your brain size and learning capacity

According to Janet Belsky (2016), Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in the United States is the most common learning disorder (p.154). ADHD affects boys at a more drastic rate than girls. The most common signs are not being able to pay attention, the inability to stay focused, and being hyperactive. These traits occur at home and in a class room setting. Boys are more prone to being assigned the label, especially during the elementary school years. The children’s inability to sit still and pay attention is highly noticeable during the

¡§ In the early 20th century, American doctors were discussing children who had problems similar to those described by George Fre*censored* Still, who was the first know researcher in Attention Deficit research. The one thing that many of these children had in common, other than their ADD type symptoms, was that they were survivors of the encephalitis

The topic of brains scans, drug use and teenagers has been of much interest to many experimenters. Drug use can be defined as continues use of alcohol, illegal drugs or the misuse of over-the-counter drugs or prescription drugs leading to negative consequences. This is done by the use of brain scans, including MRI scans; also know as magnetic resonance imaging. This type of brain scan allows scientist to see detailed images of the organs and tissues within your body by a technique that uses a magnetic field and radio waves. The magnetic field temporarily realigns hydrogen atoms in the body and is able to show brain activity. The main point of this type of study is to help predict what a teenagers drug use problem will be, if any, before it

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, most commonly known as ADHD is a condition characterized by an ongoing pattern of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity which interfere with functioning and development (National Institute of Mental Health). In attention refers to a child not paying close attention, lack of organization, and gets easily distracted and is forgetful. With hyperactivity a child can’t stay in assigned seat, fidgets, and talks excessively. Impulsivity describes a child who interrupts, yells out answers, and has a hard time waiting for a turn (Woolfolk, 2013). About 9% of children between the ages 3-17 are diagnosed with ADHD. More boys are diagnosed with ADHD than girls. Genetics is said to have a large contribution in ADHD. It can run in the family in some situations and in others there are trends in specific areas of the brain that contribute to attention (National Alliance on Mental Illness). The effects that ADHD has on a student’s education is noticeable compared to those who don’t suffer from this condition.

Children who have extreme levels of attention deficits of hyperactivity have been proven by investigators to bear out the validity of this disease for centuries. Yet only since the children have been identified with this particular syndrome, where they adopt behaviors that are not expected, have emerged questions about it. According to Kewley on his book Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is an internationally recognized medical condition of brain dysfunction, in which individuals have problems in inhibiting inappropriate behavior and controlling impulses, so giving rise to educational, behavioral and other difficulties” (237), gives credits to the brain as a primordial factor of this disease, and maybe the only cause of it. However, there is no specific and clear evidence about its apparition and what are the causes that arise in this condition. That is why some questions emerge over my mind such as, should ADHD be understood as a brain dysfunction, genetic effects or external and risked factors during pregnancy or after that? Overall, there are three causes that have an influence on ADHD in children.

The use and abuse of substances can have a big impact on children and adolescents. It comes with various negative health affects. The use of alcohol and other drugs can affect the development of adolescents’ brains in ways like decreased performance in cognitive tasks like memory, attention and spatial skills as well as compromised quality of white matter in the brain. Using alcohol and other substances that alter the brain function can result in an increased risk of serious drug use later on in life, failure in school, and poor judgments that can result in

1. The purpose of the study was to assess in detail, the long-term effects of nicotine exposure on the brain of young adolescents, during which it is not fully matured, therefore are more susceptible to the changes. Because of the neuroplasticity of the brain, exposure at a young age, may greatly impact the development/functions of the frontal cortical regions and lead to changes that persist into adulthood which is why this study is important thus the rationale behind this study was that if greater dependence of this drug is an issue in adulthood, then what kind of changes and declines are we seeing in the cognitive functioning of the brain, as the dependence grows. The hypothesis was in relation to the fact that if this study shows disturbances

In a magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI), scientists have observed that ADHD might be related to how the brain is connected and how it is wired that the density in the development of the frontal lobes which controls and suppress inappropriate actions and thought, focus attention, remember things, work to get reward, planning ahead. While there is a slow growth in the frontal lobes, the motor cortex— the one that controls movement —matures faster than in a more healthy and normal child. (NIMH)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a psychological disorder that, in recent years, has become one of the most commonly diagnosed disorders in the United States. As stated by Parke et al. (2015), ADHD “is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent behavioral symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity” (para. 1). This disorder often results in poor academic, social and behavioral outcomes (Parke et al., 2015). Barkley (1997) states that these “behavioral deficits arise relatively early in childhood, typically before the age of 7, and are fairly persistent over development” (para. 1). The American Psychiatric Association (2013) stated that ADHD occurs in approximately 5% of the child