How Supplements, Herbs, and Foods Enhance Brain Function, Power, and Memory
BACKGROUND: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, commonly referred to as ADHD, is a common, complex, predominately genetic but highly treatable disorder, which in its more severe form has such a profound effect on brain function that every aspect of the life of an affected individual may be permanently compromised. Despite the broad base of scientific investigation over the past 50 years supporting this statement, there are still many misconceptions about ADHD. These include believing the disorder does not exist, that all children have symptoms of ADHD, that if it does exist it is grossly over-diagnosed and over-treated, and that the treatment is dangerous and leads to a propensity to drug addiction. Since most misconceptions contain elements of truth, where does the reality lie? RESULTS: We have reviewed the literature to evaluate some of the claims and counter-claims. The evidence suggests that ADHD is primarily a polygenic disorder involving at least 50 genes, including those encoding enzymes of neurotransmitter metabolism, neurotransmitter transporters and receptors. Because of its polygenic nature, ADHD is often accompanied by other behavioral abnormalities. It is present in adults as well as children, but in itself it does not necessarily impair function in adult life; associated disorders, however, may do so. A range of treatment options is reviewed and the mechanisms responsible for the efficacy of standard drug treatments are considered. CONCLUSION: The genes so far implicated in ADHD account for only part of the total picture. Identification of the remaining genes and characterization of their interactions is likely to establish ADHD firmly as a biological disorder and to lead to better methods of diagnosis and treatment.
Functional brain imaging and cognitive are performed with healthy individuals. We have ongoing scientific interest in how activity in different regions of the brain supports different sensory, cognitive, emotional and motor functions. Similarly, we investigate cognitive and visual system function in the laboratory to learn how people's performance varies across different types of task conditions. Detailed delineation of the functional anatomy of different brain circuits, and discrimination of the unique computational activities performed by their component structures, has not yet been achieved in humans. With interest in how brain chemistry modulates its physiologic function and cognition, we actively conduct studies giving drugs, hormones or other agents to investigate their effects on brain and behavior. Comprehensive understanding of normal the anatomy and function of the brain allows us to expand our knowledge about normal human function and to design better studies aiming to understand the psychological impact of changes in the brain due to developmental abnormalities, disease and acquired injury.
We conduct studies of healthy individuals is to have comparison data for our clinical studies. For example, if we want to determine whether a group of patients with a specific disease has an abnormality in brain function, we need parallel data from healthy individuals to statistically compare with the patient data to determine the presence and severity of any disturbance in a brain region of interest. These studies typically involve clinical interviews to establish mental and medical healthy, performing some cognitive tasks in an office or laboratory setting, and performing a cognitive task while brain activity is monitored.
Reward Deficiency Solutions Systems
- Find out if you or your children have a genetic predisposition to RDS
- How to eliminate negative RDS behaviors; Stress, Craving, Depression or Anxiety
Dr. Blum and Dr. Waite advocated a non-specific "healthy diet" and non-specific regular exercise to accompany a regimen of taking SynaptoseTM, the nutrigenomic neuroadaptogen they developed based on Dr. Blum's many years of research to increase the endogenous production of Dopamine and reduce negative Reward Deficiency Syndrome behaviors. The scientific evidence they have thus far accumulated, they say, demonstrates that SynaptoseTM changes the plasticity of the brain synapses while balancing the endogenous neurotransmitters, positively affecting the Brain Reward Cascade.
Dr. Blum and Dr. Waite advocated a non-specific "healthy diet" and non-specific regular exercise to accompany a regimen of taking SynaptoseTM, the nutrigenomic neuroadaptogen they developed based on Dr. Blum's many years of research to increase the endogenous production of Dopamine and reduce negative Reward Deficiency Syndrome behaviors. The scientific evidence they have thus far accumulated, they say, demonstrates that SynaptoseTM changes the plasticity of the brain synapses while balancing the endogenous neurotransmitters, positively affecting the Brain Reward Cascade.
