ADHD may have evolved more than 12,000 years ago as an advantage for foragers, study claims

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may not play a major role in survival in today's society, but for hunter-gatherers, it could have been a lifesaving. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder with symptoms including difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Now, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania set out to uncover the origins of the disorder, finding it may have evolved at least 12,000 years ago. The study asked hundreds of people to play a foraging video game to test how long participants would scavenge for berries on one bush before moving to another - the same behavior as hunter-gatherers. The team found that those with ADHD quickly proceeded onto new bushes after finding no berries and believe ancient humans may have survived because they evolved to have impulsivity to move on when food sources were scarce.