Abstract

According to current findings, in the history of neurology proposed by Hughlings Jackson, certain later developed functions during ontogenesis of the central nervous system (CNS) tend to replace the older ones. In this context, recent and historical findings suggest that certain later developed cognitive and motor functions during brain ontogenesis related to higher levels of coordination tend to replace the older ones and their persistence is linked to various neuropsychiatric disorders. Particularly important functional disturbances in ADHD developed early in life likely linked to dissolution process are balance deficits linked to dysfunctions of higher levels of coordination related to neurophysiological and mental functions that typically occur in ADHD. In this context, recent data suggest that one of the important aspects of normal development that may play a role in ADHD is suppression of the so-called primitive reflexes. Taken together these data suggest that ADHD symptoms may present a compensatory process related to interference of more primitive neural mechanism, as related to primitive reflexes, with highe r levels of brain functions linked to coordination and balance due to insufficiently developed cognitive and motor integration.