What factors could cause the Reticular Activating System to be either over-activated or under-activated?
According to Harvard Medical School, current research strongly suggests that Attention Deficit Disorder – ADHD is caused in part by a deficiency of norepinephrine in the ascending reticular activating system. It is thought that the stimulant medications, such as Ritalin, increase the levels of norepinephrine in that part of the brain, as well as increasing the levels and effects of norepinephrine and dopamine in the frontal lobes. This treatment strategy works well for the inattentive under-aroused ADHD kids, and somewhat well for the over-aroused impulsive-hyperactive ADHD kids. However, for the kids who have an over-aroused Reticular Activating System to begin with, the use of stimulants will often exacerbate the problems with temper, sleep, and hyper-vigilance or anxiety. For these individuals their physicians will often prescribe a norepinephrine antagonist such as Clonadine, or an antidepressant such as Prozac, which works to enhance the Serotonin driven inhibitory mechanisms of t
