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Related Concept Videos

Adrenergic Agonists: Indirect-Acting Agents01:25

Adrenergic Agonists: Indirect-Acting Agents

Indirect-acting adrenergic agonists potentiate the effects of endogenous catecholamines through different mechanisms without directly binding to adrenoceptors.
One mechanism involves depleting stored catecholamines by displacing them from synaptic vesicles. These agents, known as "displacers," are transported into vesicles at the expense of noradrenaline. Examples include amphetamine and tyramine, which lack a catechol moiety, resulting in prolonged action, improved oral bioavailability, and...
Adrenergic Agonists: Therapeutic Uses01:30

Adrenergic Agonists: Therapeutic Uses

Adrenergic agonists have diverse therapeutic uses across various medical conditions and emergencies.
Emergency and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) applications: Pressor agents increase blood pressure, heart rate, and contractility in shock and organ failure situations. Dopamine can induce vasodilation and stimulate adrenoceptors. Endogenous catecholamines are effective in treating cardiogenic shock. α2-agonists like clonidine can reverse anesthesia-induced hypertension.
Allergies and anaphylaxis:...
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder01:30

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. It affects approximately 5-8% of children globally, with around 60-70% of cases persisting into adulthood. ADHD has significant implications for educational attainment, social interactions, and occupational success.
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings.
Adrenergic Agonists: Direct-Acting Agents01:30

Adrenergic Agonists: Direct-Acting Agents

Drugs that mimic the action of endogenous catecholamines like noradrenaline and adrenaline are called adrenergic agonists or sympathomimetics. Based on their mechanism of action, sympathomimetics can be classified as direct-, indirect-, or mixed-acting sympathomimetics. Direct-acting adrenergic agonists activate adrenoceptors without affecting presynaptic neurons, making them independent of neuronal catecholamine-depleting agents like reserpine and guanethidine.
These agents can be classified...
Adrenergic Agonists: Mixed-Action Agents01:28

Adrenergic Agonists: Mixed-Action Agents

Mixed-action adrenergic agonists, like ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, directly and indirectly affect adrenergic receptors. These agents stimulate adrenoceptors and indirectly release stored neurotransmitters, amplifying the adrenergic response.
Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine lack a catecholamine group, making them less susceptible to degradation by metabolic enzymes. They have increased oral bioavailability and lipophilicity, resulting in a longer duration of action. Their response is reduced by...
Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents01:23

Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents

Atypical antidepressants, including bupropion (Wellbutrin), mirtazapine (Remeron), nefazodone (Serzone), trazodone (Desyrel), and vilazodone (Viibryd), offer unique mechanisms of action. Bupropion weakly inhibits dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake, aiding depression treatment and smoking cessation, with a low risk of sexual dysfunction. Mirtazapine enhances serotonin and norepinephrine neurotransmission, leading to sedation, increased appetite, and weight gain. As a result, it helps treat...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Event Related Potentials (ERPs) and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
10:02

Event Related Potentials (ERPs) and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Published on: March 12, 2020

[Alternative agents used in ADHD].

Frank Hässler1, Alexander Dück, Olaf Reis

  • 1Klinik für Psychiatrie, Neurologie, Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie im Kindes- und Jugendalter der Universität Rostock, Rostock, Germany. haessler@med.uni-rostock.de

Zeitschrift Fur Kinder- Und Jugendpsychiatrie Und Psychotherapie
|December 24, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurobehavioral disorder. This review examines complementary and alternative therapies for ADHD, exploring their mechanisms and efficacy in children and adolescents.

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The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients
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Using Brain Activation (nir-HEG/Q-EEG) and Execution Measures (CPTs) in a ADHD Assessment Protocol
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Using Brain Activation (nir-HEG/Q-EEG) and Execution Measures (CPTs) in a ADHD Assessment Protocol

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Event Related Potentials (ERPs) and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
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Event Related Potentials (ERPs) and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

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The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients
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The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients

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Using Brain Activation (nir-HEG/Q-EEG) and Execution Measures (CPTs) in a ADHD Assessment Protocol
13:09

Using Brain Activation (nir-HEG/Q-EEG) and Execution Measures (CPTs) in a ADHD Assessment Protocol

Published on: April 1, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pediatrics
  • Pharmacology

Context:

  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects 2-6% of children and adolescents, often persisting into adulthood.
  • Treatment choices are influenced by comorbidities and psychosocial factors.
  • Dopamine and norepinephrine pathways are key targets for ADHD medications.

Purpose:

  • To review the purported mechanisms of action for ADHD treatments.
  • To evaluate the evidence for selected complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies for childhood and adolescent ADHD.
  • To inform better treatment choices by understanding medication responses.

Summary:

  • Stimulant and non-stimulant medications for ADHD primarily affect dopamine and norepinephrine neurotransmission.
  • Various classes of agents, including neuroleptics, antidepressants, and CAM therapies, show differing efficacy and side effect profiles.
  • This review focuses on the evidence and mechanisms of CAM therapies for ADHD in pediatric populations.

Impact:

  • Understanding diverse treatment mechanisms can optimize therapeutic strategies for ADHD.
  • Provides insights into the efficacy and side effects of a wide range of ADHD interventions.
  • Highlights the need for evidence-based selection of complementary and alternative therapies for ADHD management.