[Neurocognitive and pharmacological approach to specific learning disorders].

INTRODUCTION: Specific learning disorders are distinguished from general development disorders since, in general, only a certain number of processing mechanisms are involved whilst the remainder are unaffected.

DEVELOPMENT: The classification proposed by the DSM-IV takes a step towards clinical understanding and use of a common nomenclature. However, neuropsychological assessment is essential to understanding clinical subtypes. The neuro-cognitive approach, when taking into account the processing systems affected or involved, should include the strategies and principles of a cognitive-behavioural approach, accompanied by computerized cognitive training. Pharmacological treatment uses drugs with different modes of action depending on the specific neuropsychological characteristics of each type of disorder of nerve development. We discuss the clinical use of various drugs in view of investigations, present and past: methylphenidate for the dys-attentional subtype of ADHD; piracetam in developmental dyslexia of dysideatic type; citocolina in the infantile dysphasias of sensory input predominance, thiapride in dysfluencial and combined subtype of ADHD; pipamperona in behaviour disorders and the hyperactive-impulsive subtype of ADHD, with or without associated and selegilina in the dysattention subtype of ADHD and the dysgraphias of the subtype with predominance of calligraphy and spatial disorders.