For Inattentive Attention Deficit Disorder (Inattentive ADD) A New Medication

Submitted By: Tess Messer
For treatment of Inattentive Attention Deficit Disorder, (Inattentive ADD and also sometimes called Inattentive ADHD), the gold standard of treatment is stimulant medication. Some individuals with Inattentive ADD, however, prefer to not take stimulant medication because they have increased anxiety or depression when treated with stimulants and for those people, Guanfacine is possibly a 'God Sent' drug to potentially help the inattentive symptoms.

The symptoms of ADHD-PI can not only cause difficulty at work and at school but these symptoms can also act as a significant aggravating factor that contributes to the likelyhood of a person developing symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Guanfacine is an Alpha2 receptor drugthat has been prescribed, in addition to the stimulant ,medicines to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Inattentive ADD. Tenex (Guanfacine) is a blood pressure drug that was coincidentally found to help people with ADHD and with Inattentive ADD. Tenex can be sedating and health care providers have also used this drug to help with the insomnia and sleep disorders experienced by some patients with a diagnosis of ADHD and Inattentive ADD. Though Guanfacine is often used to treat hypertension or high blood pressure, the vast majority of people with ADD Inattentive and ADHD who are medicated with this drug do not develop low blood pressure.

The research behind these drugs is brand new but some research scientist now understand that it possibly is the alpha2 receptor drugs, and not the stimulants, that better address the signs of inattention seen in patients with Inattentive ADD. Pharmacist believe that while the stimulants work to decrease inattention, they do not begin to treat the underlying issues at the Pre-frontal Cortex that are bringing on the problems seen in Inattentive ADD.

Guanfacine activates the Pre-frontal Cortex (PFC), the portion of the brain that oversees attention, impulsive behavior, hyperactivity, and working memory and by affecting the workings of the alpha2 receptors in the PFC portion of the brain, acts to improve symptoms such as poor working memory, inattention and the other often seen symptoms of ADD Inattentive and ADHD.

Alpha-2A adrenergic receptors also facilitate brain communications. These receptors are activated by Guanfacine and strengthen the connectivity of PFC networks and, in turn, facilitate working memory and lessen distractability. Faulty brain connectivity issues are thought to be a major problem with all the subtypes of ADHD and medicines that strengthen these connections will prove to be especially useful for the treatment of Inattentive ADD as well as for Hyperactive-Impulsive ADHD and Combined type ADHD.

Unlike the stimulants, Guanfacine brings these benefits to the PFC even in the event of stress. Stress has been shown to occasionally disconnect the PFC networks which can make the symptoms of Inattentive ADD much worse. Guanfacine is now made in a 'all day' acting form that can be prescribed once a day. Who knows? Guanfacine may become the future accepted treatment for the problems of Inattentive ADD. Only the future will tell.