The Relationship Between ADHD and Learning Disabilities

The Brain’s Temporal lobe and Limbic System are the areas where all the Learning processes take place.

Learning is the synergy between Memory, Thinking and Acting.
These three skills are referred to in Psychiatry as Executive Function. They are indispensable for learning.
In ADHD, they are dysfunctional to varying degrees.
To make things worse, ADHD is an underlying condition in most cases of Autism.

Once again, we are haunted by the discrimination of Learning Disability.
Can we debunk that disrespectful notion? If not, change terminology?
Nobody, neurotypical or neurodiverse, want to be identified as retarded.
In order to advocate rightfully, we need to do a lot of research backed up by patience and humility.

Working Memory is the precursor of all Learning.
One would expect Thinking, rightly so, though this action won’t produce results if not memorized.
How many times, back in our school day, we went mute during interrogations despite having studied the subject… sadly, 30 years ago, the humiliating response of Mental Health s ignorant teachers was “They all claim to not remember when they didn’t study…”
Just to add insult to injury.

Memory Retention is not a Learning Disability

We’ll have to start with how Memory gets stored, a mechanism not yet fully understood.
We know for sure that there are two types of Memory, short-term memory and long-term memory.
Every memory is first registered in the short-term. For this reason, it is referred to as Information. Unless we have an interest in it, it is quickly forgotten.
The dilemma is that we must remember unpleasant information too.
To date, Repetition is the only solution, though it doesn’t work for me.
Repetition makes me feel stupid.
On the other hand, interesting Information is stored in the long-term at first glance.

I love humanities, I could remember them just by listening.
I hate maths and wasn’t able to perform a sum. 
The mindless approach of my maths teacher was to give me extra homework, in so doing matters worse. I perceived it as a vengeful attempt.
Nowadays, Special Needs teachers would be assigned.

The stage of storing long-term Information is called Retention.

Theoretically speaking, all memory is stored at subconscious level.
Recall is the process of bringing memories at conscious level by Will.

In brief, there are 3 stages of Memory in chronological succession: Registration, Storage, Recall.

Recall is the most common Memory Disorder with potentially catastrophic developments the likes of Amnesia and Dementia in the final stages.

Thinking is the next step to Registration.
Because Registration happens in the short-term, it is easily forgettable in Attention Deficits.
One of the hypotheses of ADHD.

In ADHD, Information switches subjects relentlessly, therefore doesn’t get stored in long-term memory.
Stimulant medication partially enhances focus by targeting dopamine.
Dopamine as in Reward neurotransmitter, would explain Interest-dependent Concentration and Storage.
The efficacy of these medications is fairly good. Their limitation is the daily lifespan, 6/8 hours average after which they wear off, allowing Confusion, Fatigue, Forgetfulness, Irritability, to set in again.
Prolonging the lifespan of these compounds will prevent Sleep, not an option, lack of sleep = dysfunctional concentration.
More research is needed, current data is insufficient.

Acting is the disrupted outcome of irrational Thinking in ADHD and Autism.
Any action taken without Thinking is disastrous.
This is Memory in a nutshell.

I look forward to hearing about your experience.