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Enhancing attention in neurodegenerative diseases: current therapies and future directions

We all experience at least occasional lapses in attention but in some neurological conditions, loss of attention is pervasive and debilitating. Treating deficits in attention first requires an understanding of the neurobiology of attention, which we now understand to be a set of different cognitive...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Sharma, Kanchan, Davis, Thomas, Coulthard, Elizabeth
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: De Gruyter 2016
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5234525/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28123829
http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/tnsci-2016-0016
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author Sharma, Kanchan
Davis, Thomas
Coulthard, Elizabeth
author_facet Sharma, Kanchan
Davis, Thomas
Coulthard, Elizabeth
author_sort Sharma, Kanchan
collection PubMed
description We all experience at least occasional lapses in attention but in some neurological conditions, loss of attention is pervasive and debilitating. Treating deficits in attention first requires an understanding of the neurobiology of attention, which we now understand to be a set of different cognitive processes. Cholinesterase inhibitors are already established as effective attentional enhancers used in the treatment of certain dementias. Other stimulant agents such as modafanil, amphetamine and methylphenidate have demonstrated limited success in healthy individuals where attention is already optimal and clinical trials in patients with neurological disease are sparse. Dietary and lifestyle changes are gaining increasing prominence, as are experimental treatments such as deep brain stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation. As the therapeutic arsenal widens, clinicians will be able to match specific treatments to selective deficits in attention, giving patients a tailored management plan. Here we review common diseases that impair attention and emphasise how an understanding of attentional processing within the brain might lead to improved therapeutic strategies.
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spelling pubmed-52345252017-01-25 Enhancing attention in neurodegenerative diseases: current therapies and future directions Sharma, Kanchan Davis, Thomas Coulthard, Elizabeth Transl Neurosci Review Article We all experience at least occasional lapses in attention but in some neurological conditions, loss of attention is pervasive and debilitating. Treating deficits in attention first requires an understanding of the neurobiology of attention, which we now understand to be a set of different cognitive processes. Cholinesterase inhibitors are already established as effective attentional enhancers used in the treatment of certain dementias. Other stimulant agents such as modafanil, amphetamine and methylphenidate have demonstrated limited success in healthy individuals where attention is already optimal and clinical trials in patients with neurological disease are sparse. Dietary and lifestyle changes are gaining increasing prominence, as are experimental treatments such as deep brain stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation. As the therapeutic arsenal widens, clinicians will be able to match specific treatments to selective deficits in attention, giving patients a tailored management plan. Here we review common diseases that impair attention and emphasise how an understanding of attentional processing within the brain might lead to improved therapeutic strategies. De Gruyter 2016-10-22 /pmc/articles/PMC5234525/ /pubmed/28123829 http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/tnsci-2016-0016 Text en © 2016 Kanchan Sharma et al., published by De Gruyter Open http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.
spellingShingle Review Article
Sharma, Kanchan
Davis, Thomas
Coulthard, Elizabeth
Enhancing attention in neurodegenerative diseases: current therapies and future directions
title Enhancing attention in neurodegenerative diseases: current therapies and future directions
title_full Enhancing attention in neurodegenerative diseases: current therapies and future directions
title_fullStr Enhancing attention in neurodegenerative diseases: current therapies and future directions
title_full_unstemmed Enhancing attention in neurodegenerative diseases: current therapies and future directions
title_short Enhancing attention in neurodegenerative diseases: current therapies and future directions
title_sort enhancing attention in neurodegenerative diseases: current therapies and future directions
topic Review Article
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5234525/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28123829
http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/tnsci-2016-0016
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