Dopamine and ADHD Treatment

• Serotonin and dopamine are major neurotransmitters essential for mental health.

We need dopamine for focus.

We need Serotonin for Mood, anxiety, appetite and sleep regulation.

Both are produced in the lower part of the brain, near the brainstem.

Dopamine travels to two main areas to work:

1. the Prefrontal Cortex (responsible for focus and decision making).

2. the Amygdala (responsible for mood regulation).

Serotonin, in contrast, spreads more evenly throughout the whole brain area.

• Dopamine: A Unique and Powerful Brain Chemical

Just as people cannot survive in a desert without water, dopamine is essential for motivation, energy, and the creation of a meaningful life.

• Brain Regions and Dopamine

When you make a fist (limbic system), you can visualize the main brain area responsible for mood, movement, memory, and learning; this area is located at the brain's center.

Dopamine is produced here (seen as green dots) and then travels to the Prefrontal Cortex (for executive functioning) and the Amygdala (for mood regulation).

When dopamine levels are low in the Prefrontal Cortex, focus, decision-making, and logical thought processes are reduced.

Stimulant medications, which directly increase dopamine, can enhance focus and clear thinking.

However, they also elevate dopamine in the Amygdala, which can increase anxiety, irritability, and insomnia.

Strattera, a non-stimulant medication, may be a good option for improving depression and focus without significant adverse reaction.

It belongs to the SNRI (Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor) class, which indirectly increases dopamine and serotonin.

Though it takes about a month to become effective, it generally has fewer side effects and is considered a safe medication regimen. 

Scientists have found that the long-term effectiveness of stimulants and non-stimulants is similar; however, non-stimulants do not produce a 'high,' crash, or carry the same addiction risk.