ADHD Insights: Specific ADHD Neurotransmitters Require Specific Attention
Forget symptoms, like the banal hyperactive, inattentive and combined forms of ADHD, we’re talking neurotransmitters here at CorePsych Blog, and have been for some time. While neurotransmitters are only a part of the healthy-brain-function picture, they are an important part.
For the new, improved, ADHD understandings and assessment opportunities the Main ADHD neurotransmitters, dopamine, norepinephrine, now include glutamate and PEA. Prefrontal cortex function depends upon effective balance of these busy working-memory connections.
Why Think About Those “Precursors?”
Precursors are predecessors – they come before neurotransmitters in neurotransmitter development. Remember: neurotransmitters don’t live forever, they turn over, they degrade, in a surprisingly short time, and need to be refreshed: degradation = half life. Specific neurotransmitter precursors provide essential amino acid building blocks to form adequate amounts of fresh neurotransmitters. Without neurotransmitter balance, no meds, no NFB, no supplements work.
Most of the referrals to functional medicine, integrative, holistic practitioners are complex cases, failures at the limitations of traditional, limited, “synaptic” focus. The problem over there on that side of the fence: few really understand neurotransmitter modification in the first place. The solution: comprehensive appreciation, understanding on both sides of the fence – actually of the entire field the fences surround.
Measure Neurotransmitters – Consider Adding Precursors
If we measure and add we can significantly improve our understanding, and help the function of those neurotransmitter systems that suffer downstream from inadequate precursors caused by upstream immune dysregulations, diet insufficiencies, insufficient breakfast protein, trace element imbalances, and a variety of measurable biomedical influences.
Balanced neurotransmitters require both initial neurotransmitter measurement and then precursor additions to rebuild insufficient neurotransmitter supplies for each/any of the 4 ADHD neurotransmitters listed above.
Yes, it’s more complicated than this simple review, but this is a start down the neurotransmitter precursor path! First the language, then the process.
Happy Holiday! Hope you’re having a great weekend with your families – wherever you are!
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