Novel mechanism involved in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, study shows
Described for the first time in 1845, but came to the fore only in recent decades, ADHD is a disorder affecting children, generally diagnosed before age seven, with important effects persisting into adulthood. Its main features are frantic hyperactivity, serious difficulties in concentrating on activities, easiness to get distracted and marked impulsivity. Not to be simply confused with a "lively" childhood, it is a neuropsychiatric disorder causing difficulties with peers and, possibly, leading to learning problems. Yet, while currently available pharmacological treatments follow a symptomatic approach, little is known on the causes of the disease. Now a group of researchers from the Neuromed Institute identified a molecular mechanism that, when dysregulated, causes the typical symptoms of children affected by ADHD. It is the PI3K gamma enzyme, involved in intracellular signaling. Already known for some time, this molecule has been studied primarily in the context of th...