Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)-Related Attention Deficits

Exclusion Criteria

• •Penetrating head injury
• •Pre-injury history of diagnosed ADHD
• •Other psychiatric conditions such as mania or psychosis. Current posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms may be present but not so severe as to require pharmacologic treatment.
• •Lifetime history of psychostimulant abuse or dependence. Other (non-psychostimulant) substance abuse within the past 6 months. Total lifetime drug use will not exceed 5 times each for substances such as amphetamine, meth-amphetamine, or cocaine.
• •Prior treatment with psychostimulant(s)
• •Tics or other contraindications for psychostimulant use including arteriosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, uncontrolled hypertension or hyperthyroidism, glaucoma, agitation, use of MAO inhibitor within 6 weeks
• •Current treatment with other psychotropic medication(s) within the past 6 weeks
• •Estimated IQ \< 80
• •Sensory and/or motor impairment(s) seriously limiting testing options
• •Other neurological conditions including epilepsy, degenerative disorders, brain tumor, or stroke.
• •Physical conditions affecting arousal, activity level or stamina, including uncontrolled thyroid dysfunction, anemia, autoimmune or metabolic disorders, untreated moderate/severe sleep apnea, etc.
• •Persons for whom MRI scanning is contraindicated, including weight greater than 275 pounds (due to scanner table limitations), severe claustrophobia, implanted electronic medical devices (e.g. pacemaker, cochlear or other inner ear implant, deep brain stimulator), metallic foreign object in eye or rest of the body, history of sheet metal work, aneurysm clips, non-removable metallic piercings, and dental prosthetics.