Medication affecting the correlation of aggression development and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Abstract

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects 3-7% of children in the U.S. Magnetic studies have shown a decrease in the corpus callosum in children diagnosed with ADHD. ADHD may have a greater impact on the white substance in certain areas of the brain. The cortical thickness as well as the levels of serotonin in the brain is also attributed as a contributing factor establishing the correlation between the two disorders. There are some clinical trials that indicate a medication that can treat both ADHD and aggression. The most common medication for disrupting the link is the use of stimulants and non-stimulants which are used in treating ADHD, the reduced aggression levels are attributed to effective treatment results in ADHI. Antipsychotic medications are used in treating aggression in cases of maladaptive aggression which does not respond to stimulants. Hence, the goal is to treat one disorder (ADHD) and use other combinations like behavioral treatment to reduce the levels of aggression.