The University of Maryland Diamondback
University researchers released a study in late December revealing parents with children who have Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are 24 times more ...
http://www.inform.umd.edu/News/Diamondback/archives/2004/02/02/news6.html

There are so many things wrong with this article I don't even know where to begin...

for one thing, the author says that stimulant meds only treat the symptoms of ADHD, and not the underlying cause. That's not true... is it?? I realize that there are different chemicals which cause the various things, and that we don't really know for sure, but I thought Ritalin and adderall helped to increase those chemicals? If that's not the "cause", then I guess you could say genetics....

am I misinformed? I want to write a letter to the editor but I want to make sure I have my facts correct (I've done a TON of research on this, but I always forget what I learned... stupid ADD!)

Christiana,
Stimulants increase the amounts of dopamine in the brain, which people with ADHD have a shortage of. I'd say the stimulants treat the symptoms, as they do not cure you, per se. Strattera works on primarily on noradrenaline which is also involved in ADHD.
Research shows that ADHD is genetic - mostly - In Identical twins, if one twin has ADHD the other is far more likely to have it than fraternal twins (siblings in general), who are far more likely to have it than adopted brothers and sisters. It does not surprise me that the university study found parents of ADHD children are more likely to have it too - "the nut never falls far from the tree", so to speak.
The root cause of ADHD is in the genes, which manifests itself by making subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) changes in brain chemistry. (I think this is what happens)
Greg