ADHD and PD

[Trixiedee]

I’ve just been diagnosed with ADHD. Seeing as both ADHD and Parkinson’s involve lack of dopamine I’m surprised more people with PD aren’t diagnosed with ADHD. Sinemet doesn’t affect the ADHD symptoms for me. I’ve been prescribed Ritalin. Does anyone else here have ADHD?

[park_bear]

It looks like dopamine is involved, but differently:

tandfonline.com/doi/full/10...

Neuroimaging studies show a high striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) availability in most adults with ADHD; this can be reduced by stimulants.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopam...

The dopamine transporter (also dopamine active transporter, DAT, SLC6A3) is a membrane-spanning protein that pumps the neurotransmitter dopamine out of the synaptic cleft back into cytosol. In the cytosol, other transporters sequester the dopamine into vesicles for storage and later release.

[Trailing]

Before taking the drug Ritalin I would encourage you to do your own research and look into natural remedies for your ADHD . The less drugs the better.

[LAJ12345]

Look into taking Hardys daily essential nutrients. They have just done some clinical trials on adhd in children.hardynutritionals.com/blog/...

“ the one-year follow up to the study, the kids who stayed on the Daily Essential Nutrients were doing better on hyperactivity, impulsivity, anxiety, depression and overall functioning. In fact, not only did the children improve in their overall ability to function in the first 10 weeks, but the improvement continued during weeks 11 through 52”

[Raphaekg]

Research has shown that ADHD increases risk of PD. Specifically, "a 2.6-fold increased risk of Parkinson’s disease was observed for ADHD patients compared with non-ADHD (aHR 2.6, 95% CI: 1.8–3.7; P < 0.0001)" nature.com/articles/s41386-...

[kevowpd]

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Some quite old but still interesting research into the use of amphetamines, specifcally those in Adderall (i think), in PD.

From raphk's link, though:

In 4960 ADHD patients prescribed psychostimulants, risk of basal ganglia and cerebellum diseases between ages 21 and 49 years was especially pronounced, at 8.6-fold (95% CI: 4.8–15.6; P < 0001). The association of ADHD patients prescribed psychostimulants with higher risk of diseases of the basal ganglia and cerebellum may reflect a more severe ADHD phenotype rather than a direct association between prescribed stimulant use and basal ganglia or cerebellum disorders.

Of course, once youre in the PD game the risk of developing it is moot, and the risks associated with its use may not as bad as / or worse than those associated with developing it.

Living with untreated ADHD aint much of a life either.

[kevowpd]

I have another question though; what was the dx process like (was it your family doctor or the neurologist or what)? Im not familar with ADHD to any depth but wouldnt many of the symptoms mirror non motor symptoms in PD, especially given that youre a PD veteran?