Scientists map maturation of the h...( ow of that specifically examines the po...),Health

ow of that specifically examines the positive effects that nicotine might have on inhibition in ADHD. Other researchers have shown that nicotine improves the global symptoms of ADHD and our study expanded on these findings by looking specifically at a certain part of cognition (inhibition) in an attempt to better understand the effects that nicotine has on these adolescents," says Potter.

"These data suggest that nicotine might ameliorate some of the cognitive symptoms associated with ADHD. It is already known that adolescents with ADHD have higher rates of smoking compared to adolescents without ADHD. Perhaps one reason why these adolescents are more vulnerable to becoming cigarette smokers is the relief nicotine provides in controlling their ADHD symptoms."

The findings raise other questions such as whether drugs that act at nicotinic acetycholine receptors could be used as treatments for ADHD, whether the effects we found are specific to people with ADHD, and how the gender of the subject might affect these findings, Potter says. Future studies are aimed at beginning to answer these questions.

The study focused on a cognitive phenomenon known as inhibition. Inhibition is the process which allows us to modify our behavior based on cues we get from the environment. Researchers over the last several years have hypothesized that the true central deficit of ADHD is not deficient attention, but is rather a problem of insufficient control of attention due to lack of inhibition.

In a pilot study that investigated 8 non-smoking adolescents with ADHD over three separate study days, subjects were administered nicotine, Ritalin, or placebo (sugar pill). Over three study days, each subject had one day with each medication. After the medication was given, the subject was tested on standard measures of inhibition (the stop signal and Stroop tasks). They also completed mood and behavior ratings, and had their vital signs monitored during the st
'"/>

Contact: Dawn McCoy
dawn@sfn.org
202-462-6688
Society for Neuroscience
8-Nov-2003

Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Related medicine news :

1. Scientists replicate hepatitis C virus in laboratory
2. Scientists identify brain regions that decide where we look
3. Scientists uncover new mechanism for the amygdala in fear recognition
4. Scientists identify protein critical to melanoma growth
5. Scientists discover recipe for life: eating the Polymeal cuts heart disease by 76%
6. Scientists study fish oil diet in bid to cut heart attack risks
7. Scientists discover enzyme crucial to the transportation of proteins within cells
8. Scientists turn on the gender lens on cardiovascular disease research
9. Scientists stalk PPAR-gamma, find novel cancer connection
10. Scientists align billion-year-old protein with embryonic heart defects
11. Scientists pinpoint flaw, offer new promise for stroke treatment