Guanfacine and Clonidine in ADHD

[Northerncardinal]

Why are Guanfacine and Clonidine used in treatment of ADHD? FA also mentions these. But i don't get it!! These drugs decrease NE release..and we used stimulants in ADHD right?

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[Jonathanwillgetit]

i guess they decrease NE and sympathetic outflow in PNS while they can have opposite effects in CNS, Ketzung in fact mantions that Clonidine can increase NE release in some regions of the body at LOW concentrations

 

[Saxappeal1]

From what I remember in class, ADHD is divided into two main mechanisms of disruption: the lack of focus of desired stimuli and the inability to tune out extraneous stimuli. The latter is controlled by stimulants like modafinil, which boost NE to tune out the extraneous stimuli. The former is controlled by alpha 2 receptors; when NE binds the alpha 2 receptors in the areas of the brain responsible for ADHD, it apparently can help to focus in on desired stimuli. From what Ive heard