ADHD - From Basic Research to Therapy

Basic research in psychology usually means the study of the central nervous system and basic brain functions, typically by using animal or computational models. We should not expect it to have instant clinical relevance, as its aim is to understand more about basic mechanisms that, in time, may help us understand more about behaviour and how disorders come about. There seems to be a general opinion that the ultimate causes of behaviour should be looked for in the brain. However, the brain is an organ that serves behaviour; it is changed by the individual's interaction with the environment to the same extent as it contributes to those interac- tions. So, in order to understand how the brain works, we need to under- stand behaviour (Catania, 2000). Also, knowledge of basic behavioural processes may contribute to bridging the gap between knowledge about brain functions and how individuals function in their environment. Basic behavioural research on Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) has been shown to be of direct clinical relevance.