"Why are there medications to treat ADHD but none to treat learning disabilities?"
by
Larry Silver, M.D.
ADHD is caused by a deficiency of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine within the brain. The medications used to treat ADHD work by “telling” the brain to produce more norepinephrine, or to slow the rate at which it is broken down.
Learning disabilities, on the other hand, are the result of differences in the “wiring” within the brain. So far, we haven’t found a medication that will correct this problem.