IUBio

Attention Deficit Disorder

F. Frank LeFever flefever at ix.netcom.com
Sat Jan 25 21:04:00 EST 1997


In <5c1bh1$f6q at dfw-ixnews12.ix.netcom.com> flefever at ix.netcom.com(F.
Frank LeFever) writes: 
>
>In <32E29996.2736 at acs.ucalgary.ca> Akira <aryamamo at acs.ucalgary.ca>
>writes: 
>>
>>Hello. I am curious about the neurophysiological or neurochemical 
>>causation of ADD. I realize that the medical community has been
rather
>
>>unsuccessful at discovering a definitive cause for the disorder, but 
>>being an undergrad, I am not familiar with the different
explanations.
>If 
>>someone is knowledgeable in this specific disorder could you provide
>me 
>>with information or refer me to some documents.
>
>
>Having been involved in organizing the New York Neuropsychology
Group's
>annual conference last year, which dealt with Adult ADD, and trying to
>put together a NY Academy of Sciences _Annals_ based on it, I would
>also be grateful for any solid info on neurochemical bases!
>
>Anatomical and cognitive/behavioral data presented at the conference
>tends to emphasize the role of prefrontal cortex--Martha Denckla told
>us we should think more in terms of INtention than of ATtention--but
>other levels of biological analysis are weak or confusing.
>
>We do know, of course, on a pragmatic level, that boosting adrenergic
>and/or dopaminergic activity can be helpful, and there is a concept of
>noradrenergic "focusing" of neural activity, but whether this is
really
>the relevant mechanism and what this tells us about the basic nature
of
>the disorder both remain uncertain.
>
>For replies too lengthy for e-mail, consider FAX (914) 947-3350,
>
>or:        F. Frank LeFever, Ph.D.
>           Helen Hayes Hospital
>           West Haverstraw, NY 10993, USA




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