Noradrenaline and cognitive flexibility

[rnd.id.]

This paper supports something I've been thinking about...

Noradrenergic modulation of cognitive flexibility in problem solving.
Beversdorf DQ, Hughes JD, Steinberg BA, Lewis LD, Heilman KM.

Department of Neurology, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus 43210, USA.

Stress causes impaired performance on tests of creativity. Drugs that block beta-adrenergic receptors improve test performance in patients with test anxiety. Furthermore, catecholamine precursors (L-DOPA) reduce the flexibility of semantic networks. Our study investigated the effect of noradrenergic system modulation on cognitive flexibility in problem solving. Eighteen normal subjects undertook three problem solving tasks (number series, shape manipulation and anagrams) 45 min after propranolol, placebo and ephedrine. On the task that appeared to rely most heavily on cognitive flexibility (anagrams), subjects who were most able to solve these problems demonstrated significantly shorter solution times (logarithmic scores) after propranolol than after ephedrine. This suggested that the noradrenergic system exerts a modulatory effect on cognitive flexibility in problem solving.

PMID: 10511436 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Full Text as PDF (starts in full screen mode, press Esc)

I'm not sure how convincing this experiment is by itself, but I find the general idea interesting.

I've made the experience that while noradrenergics increase focus and alertness which is good for simple tasks, it sometimes feels like one can't think as "broadly" on them (the anagram task in the paper is a good example).

Goes against the "more catecholamines=better (for cognition)" notion that many people seem to have (me included, up till now).

OTOH, it seems that methylphenidate doesn't impair cognitive flexibility in people with ADHD. (Could this be due to lower baseline catecholamine levels in ADHDers?)

I'd be glad about further papers on this topic, opinions or experiences... Another interesting point is the role of dopamine as opposed to NA.

 

[Riemann Zeta]

I have ADD and I don't think amphetamine or methylphenidate decreases creative cognition (at least not to a noticable extent).

 

[AnewMan]

When I was abusing PEA (an amphetamine) I would sit and play chess for hours on end.
Now that I am clean I can't even play for half a minute without feeling stressed and hating everything.

I do believe that people with excess noradrenaline / dopamine are able to pander over simple stimulus that their non high self would never.

For example : face picking, excessive cleaning, playing chess, exercise... etc.

 

[5-HT2]

I've made the experience that while noradrenergics increase focus and alertness which is good for simple tasks, it sometimes feels like one can't think as "broadly" on them (the anagram task in the paper is a good example).

I've had the same experience with amphetamines. They were really good for mindless tasks and/or stuff that I already more or less knew how to do, but when faced with anything that required flexible thinking and/or complex problem-solving skills, I would spend hours trying the same thing over and over again and getting nowhere.

 

[AnewMan]

I still am a sucker at chess (1100 rating) even though I should have learned after spending hundreds of hours playing.

I would re-dose constantly and would be screamingly high while playing.

 

[Gormur]

Thread necromancy...

I'm interested if this study applies to phenylpropanolamine (norephedrine), as propanolol and ephedrine are cited..... Pardon my ignorance if i'm missing something here - my knowledge of pharmacology being quite basic

when faced with anything that required flexible thinking and/or complex problem-solving skills, I would spend hours trying the same thing over and over again and getting nowhere.

*Envious* That's how my mind operates without amphetamines. I can focus on one thing only, at the expense of losing track of time and neglecting my responsibilities/priorities

It's been my experience, however, that amphetamine-usage has improved my working-memory, time-management, objective vs subjective thinking/structured-thinking and other coping mechanisms

Please note that i have diagnosed dyslexia since age 7 and co-morbid ADD diagnosed in early adulthood (at 25). Before amphetamines, my life was a neverending-loop of polydrug use/self-medication, lying, cheating, poverty and misery

I'm always skeptical of studies involving amphetamines and neurotypicals/non-AD(H)Ders, though find them interesting as it seems the more i read, the more i learn about myself and others... and after reflecting on it a bit, realizing just how other my brain seems to be

 

[sackynut]

I've had the same experience with amphetamines. They were really good for mindless tasks and/or stuff that I already more or less knew how to do, but when faced with anything that required flexible thinking and/or complex problem-solving skills, I would spend hours trying the same thing over and over again and getting nowhere.

i have mild ADD and ive actually found that amphetamines increase my ability to think broadly. for example: trying to (but not able) grasp a chem/physics concept sober while studying, then taking adderall and being able to figure it out and grasp the concept sufficiently. just my personal experience thats all

 

[NotAgain!!]

This thread actually had some promise...until people started going on about their own personal experiences with ADHD drugs.

 

[skillet]

Well, what did you want to see discussed? Experiential data from people with possibly different brain chemistries is pretty useful in this case I think. But yeah, some more papers might help shed some light on the different responses.

 

[pofacedhoe]

amphetamine in low doses increases the ability to hold large ideas together, in high doses they fall apart into mindless repetitive tasks, IME

its all about undoing add versus causing stim psychosis...

 

[skillet]

That does sound likely, all I can find on pubmed though are about impairments, except one about a rat model of ADHD, where the lowest dose (0.64mg/kg) of d-amp improved sustained attention, while higher doses 'interfered with the [rats] behaviour'... http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18215285