Attention Deficit Brain Disorder

What are the symptoms of Attention Deficit Brain Disorder?

Patients may be easily distracted. They often do not attend to details and cannot sustain attention in tasks. There is difficulty with organizing activities. They may be forgetful and lose things. They may be impulsive or hyperactive. Conduct and mood may suffer. 10% of males and 2% of females have attention deficit brain disorder (encephalopathy). Hyperactivity improves with age, but inattention persists into adulthood. This is also known as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disoder (ADHD).

How is it diagnosed?

Diagnosis of attention deficit is made clinically. There is no test for it. Neuro-psychological testing can be done for intelligence, memory and learning disabilities.

How is it treated?

Several medicines may help. In the past, most patients with Attention Deficit have been treated with amphetamines such as Adderall (which may cause serious psychiatric side effects), or other stimulants such as methylphenidate (Methylin). These are potentially addicting and highly controlled medicines with no refills allowed on prescriptions, but longer prescriptions can be obtained by mail. Although two out of three patients show some response to stimulants, only one out of three respond well enough for symptoms to return to normal. Non-stimulant medicines such as atomoxetine or Strattera, as well as  imipramine or Tofranil, each produce some response in two out of three patients, and return symptoms to normal in one out of three patients. Brain mapping of the P300 (an attention-dependent brain response) may tell us which medicine may produce normalization of symptoms for which patient with Attention Deficit. Patients with high P300 activity in the right front compared to the right back of the brain are likely to respond to long-acting stimulants. Patients with high P300 activity overall are likely to respond to atomoxetine. Patients with early appearance of the P300 activity are likely to respond well to imipramine. Thus, P300 brain mapping may take the guess work out of which medicine to use, and allow us to aim for normalization rather than just an improvement in symptoms.

When should I seek help?

When a child or adult has a persistent problem with attention or hyperactivity, and this interferes with functioning.

Key Benefits of Testing & Treatment

• Testing that predicts the correct medicine to use, avoids unnecessary use of the wrong medicine
• Using the correct medicine can result in much better control of symptoms
• Better control of symptoms improves school and work performance, and even socialization