ADHD Experts Podcast 152- What Neuroscience Reveals About the ADHD Brain
9 snips
Aug 2, 2016 
Joel Nigg, a clinical psychologist and ADHD research director at Oregon Health and Sciences University, dives into the neuroscience of the ADHD brain. He explains why kids excel at video games yet struggle in lectures, unraveling the brain's unique attention processes. Nigg discusses how stimulant medications work to 'calm' ADHD brains and emphasizes the importance of personalized treatment approaches. He also highlights advances in neuroimaging and brain circuitry that can reshape our understanding of ADHD diagnostics and emotional regulation.
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Immature Myelin Slows Brain Communication
- ADHD involves weaker communication between brain regions due to immature myelin development.
- This slows and adds noise to information processing, explaining slower and less efficient cognition.
Top‑Down Versus Bottom‑Up Balance
- Self-regulation reflects a balance between bottom-up sensory signals and top-down goal signals.
- ADHD shows weak top-down control and excessive bottom-up capture, causing distractibility and emotional capture.
Why Video Games Hijack Attention
- Kids with ADHD can hyperfocus on video games because bottom-up capture overwhelms weak top-down control.
- They then struggle to switch attention when the game ends or when schoolwork requires focus.
