Abstract
Recent work on the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system has led us to hypothesize that it plays a central role in regulating this balance between focused vs. flexible responding, or selective vs. scanning attention. This chapter discusses previous work on the LC system relevant to understanding its role in cognitive activity and attention, and then describes the recent neurophysiology in behaving monkeys and modeling work aimed at understanding the mechanisms by which this neuromodulatory brain system operates, and how it regulates behavior. The present analysis indicates that the LC system could play a role not only in the regulation of attentional stability and responsiveness, but also in disorders of attention. The results indicate that attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may result, at least in part, from an overly tonic LC mode. That is, ADHD may occur in subjects whose LC neurons exhibit the tonic mode inappropriately in many contexts, and only infrequently transition to the phasic mode.
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