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A comment on Psychiatrists Must Face Possibility That Medications Hurt More Than They Help. Parent comment

Re:Psychiatrists Must Face Possibility That Medications Hurt... by 234dd57d2c8db on Thursday December 15, 2016 @02:56PM (#13187700)
Stimulants work because ADHD brains have whacked out dopamine regulation. Stimulants help smooth out the peaks and valleys associated with ADHD. Hyperfocus = overstimulated by dopamine, inattentiveness = understimulated. Taking a stimulate provides a consistent baseline level to help reduce the extremes.
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Re:Psychiatrists Must Face Possibility That Medications Hurt... by warfangle on Thursday December 15, 2016 @04:34PM (#13188647)
Stimulants work because they activate the underperforming portions of the prefrontal cortex related to attention management.

Chalking it up to dopamine is a gross simplification.

Adderal, for example, stimulates the release / reduces the re-uptake of dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, serotonin, histamine, and CART peptides.

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