Some speculations concerning a possible biochemical basis of minimal brain dysfunction

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a possible biochemical basis of minimal brain dysfunction (MBD). MBD is one of a number of designations for a common behavioral syndrome of childhood. Other terms which have been employed include: the hyperactive child syndrome, hyperactivity, hyperkinesis, minimal brain damage, and minimal cerebral dysfunction. The boundaries of the syndrome are unclearly defined, however, there is general consensus regarding the signs of typical MBD children. These are behavioral and perceptual and cognitive. The characteristic features include hyperactivity, involuntary, and constant over-activity that completely surpasses the normal and may already be present during early infancy and a short attention span and poor powers of concentration, with the children generally being unable to persist for long in an activity whether at play or at school and impulsivity and inability to delay gratification. An overlapping strategy for unraveling the MBD problem would be to manipulate monoaminergic activity levels, determine the effects on the behavior and attempt to extrapolate to children. It is found that MBD is a genetically produced disorder of monoamine metabolism obviously suggests assessment of such metabolism in children.