Post-traumatic amnesia
Norepinephrine agonists
### Norepinephrine agonists

[Diaschisis](/wiki/Diaschisis "Diaschisis"), as mentioned earlier, has been linked to the mechanism of PTA. The noradrenergic systems may play a role in diaschisis. [Norepinephrine](/wiki/Norepinephrine "Norepinephrine"), also known as noradrenalin, is a [catecholamine](/wiki/Catecholamine "Catecholamine") [neurotransmitter](/wiki/Neurotransmitter "Neurotransmitter"). Administering a norepinephrine receptor [agonist](/wiki/Agonist "Agonist") (a substance that initiates a cell response when it binds with a receptor) to patients promoted the recovery of memory and many other cognitive functions after a traumatic brain injury. Conversely, the administration of norepinephrine [antagonists](/wiki/Antagonist "Antagonist") slowed recovery, and could lead to the reinstatement of deficits when administered after recovery. Noradrenergic antagonists were not prescribed for the purposes of slowing the recovery of memory. Rather, these findings are based on the effects of other commonly prescribed drugs that happen to block noradrenergic receptors. The [alpha\-1 adrenergic receptor](/wiki/Alpha-1_adrenergic_receptor "Alpha-1 adrenergic receptor") is specifically implicated. Although it has not yet been thoroughly investigated, there is potential for [stimulants](/wiki/Stimulants "Stimulants"), which promote catecholamine release, to be an effective treatment in the early stages of recovery from brain trauma, and these positive effects could reduce the symptoms of PTA.


Is there a link between noradrenergic systems and other forms of cognitive impairment?