The brain needs protein in order to make the chemicals that it needs to stay healthy. If these protein elements are not supplied, the interrupted chemical synthesis can lead to negative outcomes, like the inability to control behavior, as is the case with children suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. The advice of a medical professional should be sought before trying to prevent, treat or cure ADHD in children.
Components
Serotonin and dopamine are neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers, linked with the occurrence of ADHD. Serotonin is involved with mood, such as feeings of depression. Dopamine is involved with the brain's reward system, specifically with feelings of pleasure. In addition, both neurotransmitters are linked to brain functions related to ADHD.
Cause
There is evidence that ADHD is caused by impaired communication among neurotransmitters in the brain. When children are given drugs that block tryptophan, the largest building block of protein, it interferes with their ability to regulate behavior, according to a study published in the January 2008 issue of Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental. It is believed that reducing trypotophan leads to decreased serotonin and possibly causes symptoms of ADHD.
Source
Amino acids combine to form proteins that are needed for maintaining healthy levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. Tyrosine is one amino acid, or part of a protein chain that plays a role in communication among neurotransmitters linked to mood, mental acuity and sex drive. It is found in foods like tuna, lamb, duck, whole grains, seaweed and soy.
Outcomes
ADHD is characterized by an inability to pay attention and poor motor, or impulse control. Tyrosine supplementation was found to reduce ADHD symptoms, according to a study published in 2009 in the Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience. Researchers suspect that the outcomes were caused by the effects of tyrosine on dopamine activity since tyrosine helps to produce dopamine
Mechanism
Scientific evidence points to a lack of energy supply in glial cells of ADHD patients. Malfunctioning glial cells are suspected by researchers to be the underlying reason for the imbalance in neurotransmitters in ADHD patients, according to an article published in a 2010 issue of Behavior and Brain Functions. Glial cells are responsible for forming a protective covering over neurons and strengthening them so they can effectively communicate with each other. Specifically, a lack of energy in the glial cells leads to the brain's inability to convert tyrosine to dopamine.
References
- Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience; Tyrosine Supplements for ADHD Symptoms With Comorbid Phenylketonuria; Jonathan Posner, M.D.; 2009
- Behavior and Brain Functions; Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Glial Iintegrity: An Exploration of Associations of Cytokines and Kynurenine Metabolites with Symptoms and Attention; Robert D. Oades, et al.; 2010
- Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental; Serotonergic Functioning and Trait-Impulsivity in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity-Disordered Boys (ADHD): Influence of Rapid Tryptophan Depletion; Florian Daniel Zepf, et al.; January 2008
