Overview Of Adderall

Adderall is a type of medication individuals require a prescription for and is used and approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to treat disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. Adderall is comprised of two different drugs called dextroamphetamine and amphetamine. These drugs increase the available quantities of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain. An individual's attention and wakefulness require large amounts of these two neurotransmitters in the brain. There are two different formulations of Adderall, one being an extended-release tablet and the other a standard release tablet. The standard dosage of Adderall depends on what it is being used to treat and falls between two and a half milligrams a day to twenty milligrams taken twice per day. In rare and severe cases of narcolepsy, Adderall may be taken at the dosage of sixty milligrams per day.

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Class Of Medication

Adderall is a prescription medication that is part of a class of drugs called stimulants, which cause an increase in activity in an individual's brain. Prescription stimulant drugs have their primary effects on an individual's autonomic nervous system and central nervous system. This type of psychoactive drug causes a temporary increase in mood, alertness, and awareness. A wide range of stimulant drugs is utilized for different purposes and use a different mechanism of action to accomplish their effects. Stimulants referred to as methylxanthines stop certain enzymes that increase the amount of a compound called cyclic adenosine monophosphate and include nicotine and varenicline. Amphetamines work by stimulating the release of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine and suppressing the activities of monoamine oxidase. Stimulants are known to cause an increase in an individual's blood sugar, decrease in appetite, increase in heart rate, increase in blood pressure, and an increase in body temperature. Most drugs classified as stimulants have qualities that make them addictive and prone to abuse. However, taking prescribed stimulant medications according to a physician's instruction should not produce addiction or any other harmful effects in most individuals.

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Common Uses For Adderall

Adderall is commonly used for individuals who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This condition can make it increasingly difficult for a patient to maintain sufficient focus and concentration at work and school. Most cases of ADHD manifest during school years in childhood or early in adolescence, but adult cases do occur as well. An individual develops ADHD as the result of a deficiency in the quantity and function of a certain neurotransmitter in the brain called dopamine. Dopamine levels have a critical influence on motivation, attention, and movement. Adderall causes an increase in the amount of dopamine in the brain and upregulates the activity of dopamine, effectively alleviating symptoms produced in a patient with lower than normal levels of dopamine. Adderall is used to treat individuals affected by ADHD that are three years of age and older. The appropriate dosage of Adderall is not the same for everyone and has to be determined based on titrating up on the dose until the desired effects are achieved.

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