Attend, by Vaxa, is a homeopathic medicinal that was developed to assist the central nervous system (CNS) of individuals specifically inclined to be overactive, underactive, inattentive or perhaps learning impaired to function more effectively. The product safely enables the body to balance the neural growth and neurotransmissions of the brain and the CNS.

The homeopathic ingredients in Attend support the body's ability to:

• Help decrease frustration, stress and calm the body.
• Help advance concentration skills and stay attentive to task.

Attend, by Vaxa, is considered a safe, calming homeopathic medicinal. If taken by child or adult affected with Attention Deficit on a regular basis, it should assist the CNS to function more effectively focusing on specific neurochemical deficiencies.

What Is Attention Deficit?

Individuals, children or adults, who suffer from learning difficulties often become frustrated. They may be unable to cope with environmental stimulation, over or under, and experience behaviors which are difficult to explain or control. Frequently these behaviors can disrupt an entire household or work place.

According to the dictionary, Attention Deficit is a syndrome, [in actuality a dysfunction of the Central Nervous System], usually diagnosed in childhood, characterized by a persistent pattern of impulsiveness, a short attention span, and often hyperactivity, and interfering especially with academic, occupational, and social performance.

What Are The Causes Of Attention Deficit? In essence, Attention Deficit is a metabolic dysfunction of the Reticular Activating System (one of the components of the Central Nervous System). This system is the center of consciousness that coordinates learning and memory. When functioning appropriately it supplies the neural connections necessary for smooth information processing and clear, non-stressful attention. If these neural materials are lacking, the demand for further neural connections cannot easily be fulfilled. As a result, information is processed inefficiently and the AD individual becomes frustrated.

Since there are not enough neural pathways to receive the data coming in, the existing pathways become overworked, overstressed and may go into a shut down mode. As a result no additional information coming in gets processed. This can be very frustrating for the attention deficit individual and all others around them.

The Reticular Activating System and its connections.
At the center of consciousness , attention and learning .

In order for learning and memory to occur, the body's Reticular Activating System and numerous neurological pathways become involved. Information is fed to the brain via the spinal cord and passed on thru neurological connections to the Thalamus and then the Cortex. The data continues on a feedback loop to the Hippocampus, Thalamus and Hippothalamus. The amount of stimulation received by the Cortex determines the level of consciousness of the individual. For example, no stimulation (unconscious); overly excited, hyperactive (ADHD); stimulation enough for consciousness but not enough to be attentive (ADD or LD results).

How Does This Limitation Affect An Individual's Perceptual Abilities?

When too much information passes thru the neural pathways from internal or external sources (hearing, seeing, touching, smelling), the brain becomes unable to focus on some data while filtering out the other. This over stimulation can cause anxiety, irritation, frustration and or aggressive behavior.

How do individuals cope, who lack the ability to focus due to the excessive "noise" (electrical or neural impulses) activity occurring within the brain?

A number of theories have been presented. It is thought that ADHD individuals have an adequate amount of "Acetylcholine and clear, lipofuscin-free, unobstructed Cholinergic pathways, allowing them to actively compete and overwhelm the intrusive messages." As a result the ADHD individual compensates by attempting to compete with the extra stimulation by becoming more active and trying to drown out the electrical noise overload. (Thus we get the term - Hyperactivity.)

For the ADD's and LD's, who have "low levels of Acetylcholine and unfavorable lipofuscin within the Cholinergic neural pathways," compensation becomes more difficult. These individuals go into shut down as they are unable to cope with the excess electrical data, from their senses, traveling through their neurons. The neurons have over-fired do to sensorial stimulation and cannot maintain the rate. Thus, the ADD and LD individual, reacts by shutting-down or tuning-out the "noise" and produces high brain waves, Theta or Alpha (see brain maps below).

Relative Power Z-Score Maps from Quantitative Electroencephalography (QEEG)

Differences in activity in normal and ADD children
The brain maps on the left (1&2) are of normal individuals: a 14 year old female and 9 year old male. The ones on the right (3&4) are ADD individuals: a different 14 year old female and a different 9 year old male. Notice how the two ADD individuals (3&4) demonstrate high (more red) Theta and Alpha activity in their maps than do the normal individuals, respectively. High Theta wave actvity is generally associated with drowsiness; High Alpha activity is generally associated with idleness. The ADD results (3&4) are characteristic of states of non-attentiveness, and too little stimulation of the reticular activating system, and probable inadequate number of connections. Thus the ADD/LD child can effectively "tune-out" his/her environment. In contrast, the normal children's results of low Alpha and Theta wave activity (1&2) are characteristic of alertness and focused attentiveness, demonstrating adequate stimulation of the reticular activating system, and thus, an adequate number of neural connections.

What Can Be Done To Correct This Dysfunction Of The Reticular Activating System?

The brain is a complex organism. When conditions require it, and the following are available (neural building materials, precursors to neurotransmitters and neural buffers supplied) new neural pathways can be developed to meet the increasing demands of excessive neural activity. It is estimated that the human brain contains one trillion cells that need to be nurtured. (Some neurons can grow at the rate of 3-5 mm per day). Approximately 100 billion of these neurons are yet to be developed and 900 billion (glial or "helper" cells) support those already established.

Are These Neural Building Materials Really All That Important?

Most definitely,YES! Lipids and fatty acids comprise one half of the dry weight of the brain (neurons, glial and brain cells). The physical number of neurological connections, or synapses, facilitates the brains capacity for learning and memory. In order for memory and learning to be enhanced these essential building blocks must be available to develop more neural connections. Attend by Vaxa does supply these necessary elements!

Composite Structure of a typical Neuron
" The basic "Hardware" of the Central Nervous System must be in place in order for memory and learning to proceed efficiently. The more neurons there are that can make "connections" with other neurons, the more efficient and easy learning and remembering may become. Without such "connectivity," learning is often frustrated and impaired as it is with Attention Deficited individuals. (Above is a diagram of a Multipolar neuron with multiple extentions from the cell body. Below is an actual micrograph of a Bipolar neuron with 2 extensions from the cell body.)"

Actual Scanning Electron Micrograph of a Neuron

What Is Attend?

Attend, by Vaxa, is an all natural homeopathic medicinal that was developed to assist the central nervous system (CNS) of individuals specifically inclined to be overactive, underactive, inattentive or perhaps learning impaired to function more effectively. The product safely enables the body to balance the neural growth and neurotransmissions of the brain and the CNS. Attend supplies the ingredients the body may lack to buffer neurons and balance the stimulation of the Reticular Activating system.

How Does Attend Work?

The particular homeopathic ingredients in Attend (Lithium bromatum, carbonicum) foster the body's natural calming and balancing agents. These natural ingredients assist the activity of the Reticular Activating System and the neurological pathways of the brain in processing data so that the individual is better able to direct and focus attention. By so doing, Attend has been found to minimize exhaustion after moderate mental effort and increased the capacity of the individual to remain focused. If one is unable to stay attuned to the task at hand, this product would be very helpful. Other reasons for trying Attend : easily distracted, poor memory, easily agitated, or slow perception skills.

Are There Any Side-Effects With Attend?

According to the manufacturer, Attend is a natural homeopathic, non-toxic, safe product. It naturally fosters neural growth, balances and regulates the Reticular Activating system without the side effects associated with some ADD pharmaceuticals. It does not slow the growth pattern of ADHD, ADD or LD individuals, nor does it decrease the ability to process cognitive data and slow learning functions. Some medications (anticonvulsants, antidepressants and amphetamines) frequently ordered for ADD individuals have been shown to lessen cognitive function.