The brain's reward center and links to ADHD

A problem in the brain's reward center may be behind symptoms like inattention associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), new research suggests. According to a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, the motivational problems seen with the condition, which is often associated with children but can persist into adulthood, appear to stem from a reduction in dopamine, an important neurotransmitter in the nervous system that is considered a hallmark of ADHD. The study used positron emission tomography (PET) brain scans to measure markers of the brain's dopamine system in 53 non-medicated adults with ADHD and a comparison group of 44 healthy adults.