Written on 18-10-2017

We all know them – kids with ADHD who are bright, energetic, and creative – yet struggle in school. They don’t enjoy learning. They prefer easier work. They give up easily. By all accounts, they lack motivation.

But why? Is it due to a bad attitude? Is it laziness? No, it’s in the wiring!

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Looking at the ADHD Brain

Medical technology now permits us (neuro-scientists, that is) to peek inside the brains of folks with ADHD, and what these scientists have learned can help the rest of us understand why kids with ADHD find it so hard to keep motivated in school.

Connections among various parts of the brain form circuits. Within the human brain are two circuits – the reward circuit and the executive circuit – that impact motivational behavior. Brain imaging studies have found that kids with ADHD have differences in one or both of these circuits.

The Reward Circuit

The job of the reward circuit is to help us respond positively to rewards and look forward to the future pleasure of achieving something we value. This helps us maintain the motivation to keep working toward long-term goals, such as getting good grades. In kids with ADHD, though, the reward circuit has an inadequate supply of the brain chemical dopamine. As a result, kids with ADHD have a reduced ability to move beyond the desires and distractions of the moment in order to keep working toward their goals. That is why those text messages will likely hijack today’s algebra homework.

The Executive Circuit

The job of the executive circuit is to help us sort out what we need to do in order to reach the goals we desire. It turns out that portions of this circuit are smaller, less active, and less mature in the brains of kids with ADHD. As a result, kids with ADHD have difficulties with brain-based executive skills (also called executive functions). These skills include sustained attention, planning, and time management. That is why kids with ADHD often meet with frustration and failure when trying to tackle complex tasks, like research papers.

Academic Consequences of ADHD Brain Organization

Due to these brain differences, kids with ADHD tend to lose sight of future goals in the distractions of the moment, and they are often unsure about how to accomplish goals they still wish to pursue. This puts them at a disadvantage in academic settings, especially in high school and college, where goal persistence and strong executive skills are essential.

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我們都會認識一些患有專注不足及過度活躍症（ADHD）的孩子，他們聰明、有活力並別具創意，但卻在學業上遇到困難重重。他們不喜歡學習，寧願做簡單的工作，又容易放棄。總的而言，就是缺乏動力。

為甚麼會這樣呢？ 是因為他們態度不好？ 還是過於懶惰？不，一切問題都出在大腦迴路上！

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窺探ADHD人士的腦部

現今的醫學技術可以讓神經科學家們窺看到ADHD人士的大腦内部，這些科學家的研究有助大家加深理解，爲什麽ADHD孩子難以保持對校園學習的動力。

大腦内的各部分通過互相之間連接，形成大腦迴路。人的大腦中有兩組迴路，一個叫獎勵迴路，另一個叫執行迴路，這兩組腦迴路會影響人的動機行為。據腦成像研究的發現，ADHD孩子的其中一組，甚至兩組腦迴路與一般人有所差異。

獎勵迴路

獎勵迴路的功能是幫助我們對獎勵作出積極回應，讓我們不斷追求這份達成目標後帶來的滿足感。這有助我們維持動機和動力，爲了實現長期的目標，如獲得好成績而不斷努力。 然而，患ADHD的孩子，他們的獎勵迴路缺乏一種名為多巴胺的腦化學物，致使他們較難抵抗欲望，並妨礙其集中精神去為實踐目標而努力。這也解釋了為甚麼智能手機的信息，很容易就可以把孩子的注意力由代數功課中搶了過來。

執行迴路

執行迴路的功能是幫助我們理出達成目標所需要做的事情。研究顯示，ADHD孩子的大腦執行迴路較細小、不夠活躍和成熟，因此，當他們運用大腦的執行能力（又稱執行功能），包括持續集中、訂定計劃及時間管理時，顯得困難重重。這也解釋了為甚麼ADHD孩子嘗試做較複雜的事情，如選寫研究論文時，往往會受到挫折和挫敗。

ADHD對學業的影響

由於上述的大腦差異，ADHD孩子較容易受眼前的事物所影響，而忽略了長遠目標；他們雖然心明自己要追求的目標，但卻苦無對策。 這使他們在學術方面處於不利的位置，尤其是在高中和大學這些階段，良好的執行能力和對達成目標的堅持至關重要。