PHARMACOLOGY OF ATTENTION AND AROUSAL IN THE LOW-LEVEL PATIENT

Pharmacological management of the low level patient is a very challeng ing prospect for the doctor treating these patients. The use of medica tions to expedite recovery and improve the function of arousal and att ention in this population is both an exciting prospect and at the same time a most daunting task. Review of past literature is of limited va lue as it consists primarily of case reports, studies with small sampl e sizes and studies demonstrating limited clinical efficacy. The autho r has tried in this paper to offer some guidance by reviewing literatu re defining arousal and attention, briefly discussing the neuroanatomy of the brain, critiquing past literature and offering his own recomme ndations based on experience.