Does Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Affect Memory Loss

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Does Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Affect Memory Loss

According to Wilens & Spencer (2013), Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) refers to a chronic neurobehavioral disorder that is prevalent in children and adults. The disease is often associated with several comorbid psychiatric diseases such as substance abuse, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and oppositional defiant disorder. There have been questions as to whether ADHD causes memory loss on the part of their victims.

Mental health problems are one of the most common health concerns which often face children. In some instances, the impact of mental problems often impacts the lives of the children later on in their lives. Keilow, Holm, & Fallesen assert that often out of five people experience at least one type of mental health problem before they become adults (2018). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is one of the mental health diseases which tends to escalate into adulthood if not tended to at the earliest time. ADHD critically impacts children and adolescents in a variety of areas, which includes college competition rates, academic performances, and retention rates. The impact of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder on the academic performance of the children often raises the question as to whether ADHD contributes to memory loss among children and adolescents,

The importance of the topic of the link between memory loss and Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder has drawn the eye of several researchers. Understanding the relationship between memory loss and ADHD is crucial as it can help explain the academic challenges faced by victims of the schools in the school set up. Memory is one of the essential elements in the learning process. A study by Zarghi and colleagues (2012), sought to investigate the memory performance of children with ADHD. The research analyzed two distinct groups, 50 healthy children, and 50 children with ADHD. The research used utilized two diverse tools to test the results, namely the Weschler memory sub-test scorers and the Brenton test scores. The study displayed different results recorded in both the Benton and the Wechsler memory tests. The study found out that there was a difference between the memory performance of healthy children and children with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The research asserted that healthy children had a superior visual and logical memory compared to children with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. However, the research also revealed that there was little difference in the general and personal information of the two groups. The research added to other studies that linked the occurrence of memory dysfunctions among children with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

While the study by Zarghi and colleagues sought to investigate the memory performance between normal and children with ADHD, different research aimed to examine working memory deficits in normal people and people with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Fried and colleagues conducted one such study in 2017. The Study by Fried and colleagues (2012) was controlled, which sought to understand how the loss of working memory impacted youth with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and youth without the disease. The study findings indicated that youth with ADHD were more affected by memory loss as opposed to normal children. According to the study, youth with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder had significantly higher working memory deficits compared to their counterparts.

The findings that show that there is a direct link between ADHD and memory loss vastly impact children and adolescents. The impact of memory loss among children with ADHD adversely their academic performance. Memory loss affects their ability to learn and process learning materials like other children. Memory loss among children with ADHD also significantly affects their ability to retain information during learning. Consequentially, the ability to compete with other children who do not suffer from diseases equally is hindered. A study by Fassbender and colleagues (20122) also adds that children with ADHD tend to be slower in their responses compared to normal children due to the impact of the disease on their working memory. Therefore, the studies indicate that Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder puts children with the disease at a disadvantage in the school set up. They are unable to compete in academic learning as well as an application such as college entry. The findings can help to find a better way to asses children with ADHD in schools as they require a different assessment.

Conclusion

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a common mental health that affects children and adolescents. If not treated early, the disease may also spread into an adult. ADHD among children and adolescents has been highlighted as a significant cause of poor retention and lower academic performances. Research indicates that there is a close connection between memory loss and ADHD. Children and youth with ADHD also suffer from limited working memory and memory loss. The impact of ADHD on working memory results in slow responses in school as well as poor retention. There is a need to address the issue of memory loss and create an avenue where children and adolescents with the disease can compete favorably with other children. Early treatment and creating of balance in schooling setups can help address the disadvantages that children and adolescents with ADHD face in society.

References

Fassbender, C., Schweitzer, J. B., Cortes, C. R., Tagamets, M. A., Windsor, T. A., Reeves, G. M., & Gullapalli, R. (2011). Working memory in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is characterized by a lack of specialization of brain function. PloS one, 6(11).

Fried, R., Chan, J., Feinberg, L., Pope, A., Woodworth, K. Y., Faraone, S. V., & Biederman, J. (2016). Clinical correlates of working memory deficits in youth with and without ADHD: a controlled study. Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology, 38(5), 487-496.

Keilow, M., Holm, A., & Fallesen, P. (2018). Medical treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and children’s academic performance. PloS one, 13(11).

Wilens, T. E., & Spencer, T. J. (2010). Understanding attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder from childhood to adulthood. Postgraduate medicine, 122(5), 97-109.

Zarghi, A., Mehrinejad, S. A., Zali, A., & Ramezankhani, Z. (2012). Memory performance among children with ADHD. Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, 3(4), 68-74.