You are viewing an older, archived article. There may be more
up to date articles on this subject, try a new search
Primary care plays a key role in the management of
ADHD
|
|
|
 |
ADHD Summary1
- Attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder is an early onset, highly prevalent neurobehavioural disorder with genetic, environmental and biologic aetiologies that persist into adolescence and adulthood in a sizeable majority of afflicted children of both genders.
- It is characterised by behavioural symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity across the life cycle. Comorbidity is a distinct clinical feature of both childhood and adult ADHD.
- Although its aetiology remains unclear emerging evidence documents its strong neurobiologic and genetic underpinnings. A pathophysiologic profile of ADHD has not been fully characterised, although structural and functional imaging studies consistently implicate dysfunction in the fronto-subcortical pathways and imbalances in the dopaminergic and noradrenergic systems, in the origin of core symptoms.
- Although not entirely sufficient, changes in dopaminergic and noradrenergic function seem to be necessary for the clinical efficacy of pharmacological treatments for ADHD, supporting the hypothesis that alteration of monoaminergic transmission in critical brain regions might be the underlying factor for therapeutic action in ADHD.
| Page
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Page 7
|
