New ADHD Insights Introduce The Importance Of PEA

ADHD and PEA The Stealth Neurotransmitter

I’ve been telling you about neurotransmitters [NTs] for some time now – and have promised to fill you in on the NT applications for ADHD. An easy entry into that neurotransmitter discussion is the relevance of the new ADHD medication Intuniv – as reported here in 7 specific CorePsych Blog Posts how Glutamate is now on our ADHD doorstep, even though we didn’t know about it previously. The NT science is there.

The Most Relevant ADHD Neurotransmitters
We have thought for years that the only relevant NT for treating and understanding ADHD was dopamine [Ritalin and Dexedrine]. And then the pharma folks recognized that dopamine and norepinephrine together [Adderall] provided significant efficacy. And then along came the less than satisfactory, less predictable straight norepinephrine [Strattera] intervention strategy. Interestingly, tho unappreciated by many, all of these various meds focused predominantly upon collecting the NT chickens already on the ranch. They weren’t delivering chickens to the synapse they were only catching the remaining chickens at the ranch.

Remember: The meds are only chicken catchers - as noted quite frequently in earlier postings.

PEA Joins DA, NE, 5HT, and Glutamate as Relevant Neurotransmitters In Evaluation of ADHD
Here are a quick few files to review when you wonder why the meds just aren’t working.

1. 8 Excellent PEA references from Neurotransmitter.net
2. NeuroScience pdf on ADHD, meds and PEA.
3. Phenylethylamine [PEA] modulation of affect: therapeutic and diagnostic implications – J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 1995 Winter; 7(1):6-14
4. Notes on psych drugs and PEA with References

What The Public Is Saying
These notes will provide some enlightening homework to help you move forward from the simplicity of only meds – especially when multiple meds are not working. If you watch the comments here, many posts with over 100 comments, the ADHD problems with refractory response to meds is based upon metabolic challenges that alter these other NTs, often in dramatic ways.

Brief Announcement:
Take a look at the new Cinch Widget on the nav bar – and do consider hooking up with that RSS feed, as I will be regularly posting audio comments on the passing scene there as Office Notes from Cinch. It’s an easy way to keep in touch!
cp

What Causes ADHD? (everydayhealth.com)
Understand What You Are Getting (myaddblog.com)
Adult ADHD Symptoms Checklist (brighthub.com)
What Does ADHD do to the Brain? (brighthub.com)
Gene linked to ADHD allows memory task to be interrupted by brain regions tied … – EurekAlert (press release) (news.google.com)

Digitally available now at Nook, Kindle, Barnes and Noble.
ADHD Medication Rules – PDF For Your Desktop
ADHD Medication Rules | Paying Attention To The Meds For Paying Attention – Kindle Version

Tagged as: ADD/ADHD medications, Adderall, ADHD, adhd diagnosis, ADHD Neurotransmitters, adhd symptoms, ADHD treatment, Adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, amphetamines, Atomoxetine, Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, brain function, childhood psychiatric disorders, comorbid conditions, dextroamphetamine, dopamine, glutamate, Intuniv, methylphenidate, Neuroscience, Neurotransmitter, Neurotransmitters, new adhd medication, nootropics, Norepinephrine, PEA phenylethylamine, phenethylamines, Stimulant, Stimulant medications, understanding adhd, Vyvanse

ADHD and PEA – The Stealth Neurotransmitter

by Dr Charles Parker on January 16, 2011 · 6 comments

Christine

Thank you! Now that I think about it, the chocolate craving may coincide with my hormones, which may have not been portrayed at the exact time of the testing! joy! ...or maybe it is really the coffee I crave (have ADHD) AND the fact that dark chocolate is the ONLY 'desert' I can have w/o GI probs from Yeast/Egg/Dairy sensitivity! Thank you for the encouragement on the Glutamate levels lowering as my gut heals...trying to wait patiently! In the meantime, I'm learning to enjoy many new strange foods by sparking my interest in novelty -one gift of my ADHD nature! Glad God blessed me w/creativity in the kitchen & a high metabolism... and others still eat my cooking! They just don't always know whats in it!! My fav deceiving health baked good is a special black bean brownie recipe! haha! =)

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Dr Charles Parker

Christine- Black bean brownie sounds fab! cp

Christine V

Traditionally I have craved foods that give me more of what I need. I'm extremely sensitive to anything I put in my body, and slow/poor metabolizer via cyp450-2D6 issues. That being said, I used to crave milk etc for precursor tryptophan to convert to 5-HTP to Seretonin. My lab work w/you showed up very low in Seretonin. As instructed, I take the supplements & med to help w/Seretonin production now. I'm high in Glutamate & seem sensitive to it, explaining why I get headaches from those supplements (athletic or otherwise) AND from anything containing MSG. I also don't eat much sugar/carbs (i utilize paleo/south beach/Low GI diets in addition to allergy changes)...so I DONT crave sugar at all. I use Stevia as coffee sweetener & some agave. My labs from NeuroScience showed me being very low in PEA and I know it metabolizes quickly, however, I notice regularly that I crave a mix of dark chocolate & coffee. I can take or leave the sugar- so I wonder if its my body, just like all the other instances above, trying to get what it needs. Since I seem to be allergic to everything else dairy, eggs, yeast, honey, etc...AND I exercise everyday & am very fit... I figure that this one indulgence is acceptable given that Dark Chocolate is higher in Phenylalanine (precursor to PEA)? or is it actually Phenylethylamine already? Just curious. Don't worry about justifying my eating chocolate, haha!

Christine Usually the PEA is high with chocolate craving, not low! Will be important to look a DL-phenylalanine for the PEA deficiency. Glutamate is almost always elevated with immune system dysregulation - and will settle as the gut heals. Excellent on the low Gly diet! cp

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