We recently had my sleep medicine doc at the school to give a lecture. He has a big research project I did not know about, where rat models were raised from -- what are baby rats called? -- rat babies with subjection to intermittment hypoxia to simulate untreated sleep apnea/hypopnea in human children.

Guess what the results were? The rats subjected to the hypoxia grew up to manifest all of the symptoms of ADHD. Further investigation revealed that the intermittment hypoxia simulating untreated sleep apnea in children resulted in damage to the dopaminergic system of the brain, causing the rats to manifest the symptoms of ADHD, including deficits in working memory and hyperactivity.

The damage to the dopaminergic system caused a functional impairment in the brain's ability to release dopamine from the presynaptic nerve terminals, not in production of DA. Treatment with AMPHETAMINES potentiated the release of DA from the presynaptic terminals and temporarily relieved the symptoms of ADHD.

As I have said in other posts, GET YOUR KIDS CHECKED FOR SLEEP-RELATED BREATHING DISORDERS!

I am trying to setup an elective rotation or externship with this guy, or even take part in his research.

My dad and bro are terrible snorers and both have severe ADHD. I don't snore, but I did have gnarly orthodontic problems as a kid, so I wouldn't be surprised if I also had a sleep-related breathing disorder.

I was vaguely aware that there was a link between ADHD and sleep apnea, but never came across a satisfying explanation, until now! Thanks for explaining it so clearly, even for us non-medical peeps. And cool beans that you might get to work with this researcher.

I'm pretty sure I have sleep apnea. I can't sleep on my back because if I do I stop breathing. I wake up but am paralyzed. I know I'm not breathing but am frozen and then I start breathing again a few seconds later. But, I'm scared to do a sleep study because I don't want to put myself in the situation where I stop breathing because IT'S SCARY!

Also if you do have sleep apnea, you get a CPAP, and I heard these don't improve your condition, that the damage has already been done and they just help a little, am I right?

I can remember,
that I'd actually feel like I had a good night sleep,
when I was on meds. .