tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22093933.post1614173215507212773..comments2009-05-07T06:32:54.802-04:00Derichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16617204535017208765noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22093933.post-38556676205242840132009-05-06T21:54:00.000-04:002009-05-06T21:54:00.000-04:00Great post on <A HREF="http://www.attention-deficit-disorder.net" REL="nofollow">improving your concentration</A>. I used to have concentration problems. Here's a website that I thought I might share with you. This informative website offers more than just simple tips and guides to improve concentration. It's at <A HREF="http://www.attention-deficit-disorder.net" REL="nofollow">http://www.attention-deficit-disorder.net</A>samhttp://www.attention-deficit-disorder.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22093933.post-67235311049251788962009-05-06T15:17:00.000-04:002009-05-06T15:17:00.000-04:00You seem quite knowledgeable, and I suspect know more about ADD than I do. I'll poke about and see if I have anything you couldn't find with a few strategic search words in google. I frequently do better going to google than to my accumulated files.Derichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16617204535017208765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22093933.post-43528105522568693182009-05-06T15:10:00.000-04:002009-05-06T15:10:00.000-04:00Professor Bownds:<br /><br />Paging back through your posts, I do not see very much discussion of ADD and attentional challenges per se -- more to issues of perception and priming/salience. For my purposes, that's OK, since really what I am asking about can best be addressed as someone who is far more familiar with teaching overviews to neuroscience than your average ADD-oriented blogger.<br /><br />I am looking for a very clear article or book (or *informed* set of blogs) to explain the role of brain regions and brain chemistry in ADD. <br /><br />Beyond being somewhat mystified about how the always-implicated "prefrontal cortex" actually endows humans with the ability to plan, attend to non-immediate priorities, perceive time, and sustain attention, there are other regions involved in attention-related conditions: For instance, the hypothalamus is known to be heavily involved, and even the anterior cingulate cortex are now known to play a role (the latter by failing to respond to 'extinct' rewards). From what I understand, dopamine is key, as well as a number of other less obvious molecules, like the essential fatty acids. Exercise is hugely important, and even unexpected therapies, like balance and coordination exercises seem to improve overall memory functioning (somehow, via the hypothalamus).<br /><br />At this point, I need to move beyond "you've got a stunted prefrontal cortex" to really get a handle on it, as an educated layman. Where do you suggest going to understand these questions? It would also be great if, in addition to covering ADD in enough depth, these pubs tackled related PDs and LDs, as there is a lot of co-morbidity and crossover.<br /><br />Thank you for your advice!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com