Sr. Pliszka et al., CATECHOLAMINES IN ATTENTION-DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER - CURRENT PERSPECTIVES, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 35(3), 1996, pp. 264-272
Objective: To provide an update on the ''catecholamine hypothesis'' of
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method: Recent work
examining the measurement of the norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopa
mine systems in ADHD and normal subjects is reviewed and discussed in
the context of recent neuroimaging and animal studies. Results: While
data clearly indicate a role for all three of the above neurotransmitt
ers in ADHD, a hypothesis suggesting ''too much'' or ''too little'' of
a single neurotransmitter will no longer suffice. The central norepin
ephrine system may be dysregulated in ADHD, such that this system does
not efficiently ''prime'' the cortical posterior attention system to
external stimuli. Effective mental processing of information involves
an anterior ''executive'' attention system which may depend on dopamin
ergic input. The peripheral epinephrine system may be a critical facto
r in the response of individuals with ADHD to stimulant medication. Co
nclusion: A multistage hypothesis is presented which emphasizes the in
teraction of norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine in modulation o
f attention and impulse control.