Attention-Cognition Spectrum Syndromes: Delirium, Dementia, Impulse Control Syndromes, ADHD, Antisocial Personality, Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Traits, Obsessive-Compulsive Syndrome

Abstract

Included in this spectrum of conditions are Global Dysregulation of Meme Processing: Delirium and Dementia; Dysregulation of Infrastructure for Meme Processing: Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADHD), Impulse and Aggression Dyscontrol, Antisocial Personality; Dysregulation of Meme-Processing Loop: Preoccupations, Obsessions, Compulsions. There are normal degrees of attention and inattention depending on the nature and amount of external and internal stimuli, physiologic state, and the amount of internal processing of data that may require attention. Cognition is greatly affected by attention and arousal, as well as by emotions. With the rapid growth of the neocortex with hominids that parallels the development and multiplication of memes, our brain’s activity has become increasingly that of cognition. With ever increasing influx of memes in the form of language and information, the brain is challenged with the need for ever increasing efficiency in meme processing that we call cognition. Global dysregulation of meme processing occurs when there is a metabolic or toxic dysfunction of the brain as a whole. Various gene × meme × environment interactions are discussed in ADHD, impulse control, and aggression. An evolutionarily important event was the development of romantic love, which serves as an example of memetic preoccupation, obsession, and compulsion, usually but not always within normal range. Specific neural circuits are involved in romantic love and obsessive compulsive syndromes. Tourette’s syndrome is an example of brain dysfunction that involves dysregulation of both meme processing and motoric function illuminating the role of the basal ganglia in both. Symptoms of OCD may also occur because the meme representing the thought may be particularly strong because it is fed by energies from related preexisting memes in the brain. The memetic approach to preoccupations, obsessions, and compulsions should involve an analysis of the memetic content of the thoughts and their memetic connections (and vehicles) such as the visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, and tactile associations. Gene- and meme-oriented therapies are discussed for attention-cognition spectrum syndromes.