Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The acute effect of methylphenidate on cerebral blood flow in boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Methylphenidate (MPH) is the most commonly prescribed treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The therapeutic mechanisms of MPH are not, however, fully understood. We studied the effects of MPH on brain activity in male children and adolescents with ADHD, using the blood flow radiotracer technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer (99mTc-ECD) and single-photon emission tomography (SPET) . The study was randomized, double blind, and placebo controlled (MPH group, n=19; placebo group, n=17), Radiotracer was administered during the performance of the Continuous Performance Test and before and after 4 days of MPH treatment. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM99) analysis showed a significant reduction in regional cerebral blood flow in the left parietal region in the MPH group compared with the placebo group (P<0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons). Our findings suggest that the posterior attentional system, which includes the parietal cortex, may have a role in the mediation of the therapeutic effects of MPH in ADHD.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.

References

  1. Zarin DA, Suarez AP, Pincus HA, Kupersanin E, Zito JM. Clinical and treatment characteristics of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in psychiatric practice. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1998; 37:1262–1270.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Schweri MM, Skolnick P, Rafferty MF, Rice KC, Janowsky AJ, Paul SM. [3H]Threo (±)-methylphenidate binding to 3,4-dihydrophenylethylamine uptake sites in corpus striatum: correlation with the stimulant properties of ritalinic acid esters. J Neurochem 1985; 45:1062–1070.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Dresel S, Krause J, Krause KH, LaFougere C, Brinkbäumer K, Kung HF, Hahn K, Tatsch K. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: binding of [99mTc]TRODAT-1 to the dopamine tranporter before and after methylphenidate treatment. Eur J Nucl Med 2000; 27:1518–1524.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Kim BN, Lee JS, Cho SC, Lee DS. Methylphenidate increased regional cerebral blood flow in subjects with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Yonsei Med J 2001; 42:19–29.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Vaidya CJ, Austin G, Kirkorian G, Ridlehuber HW, Ridlehuber HW, Desmond JE, Glover GH, Gabrieli JDE. Selective effects of methylphenidate in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a functional magnetic resonance study. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1998; 95:14494–14499.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Matochik JA, Nordahl TE, Gross M, Semple WE, King AC, Cohen RM, Zametkin AJ. Effects of acute stimulant medication on cerebral metabolism in adults with hyperactivity. Neuropsychopharmacology 1993; 8:377–386.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Mehta MA, Owen AM, Sahakian BJ, Mavaddat N, Pickard JD, Robbins TW. Methylphenidate enhances working memory by modulating discrete frontal and parietal lobe regions in human brain. J Neurosci 2000; 20:1–6.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Volkow N, Wang GJ, Fowler JS, Logan J, Gerasimov M, Maynard L, Ding YS, Gatley SJ, Gifford A, Franceschi D. Therapeutic doses of oral methylphenidate significantly increase extracellular dopamine in the human brain. J Neurosci 2001; 21:1–5.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Volkow N, Wang GJ, Fowler JS, Logan J, Franceschi D, Maynard L, Ding YS, Gatley SJ, Gifford A, Zhu W, Swanson JM. Relationship between blockade of dopamine transporters by oral methylphenidate and the increases in extracellular dopamine: therapeutic implications. Synapse 2002; 43:181–187.

    Google Scholar 

  10. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th edn. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 1994:78–85.

  11. Conners CK. Continuous performance test [computer program]. Kensington: Behavior Medicine Inc., 1980

  12. Acton PD, Friston KJ. Statistical parametric mapping in functional neuroimaging: beyond PET and fMRI activation studies. Eur J Nucl Med 1998; 25:663–667.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Krause KH, Dresel SH, Krause J, Kung HF, Tatsch K. Increased striatal dopamine transporter in adult patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: effects of methylphenidate as measured by single photon emission computed tomography. Neurosci Lett 2000; 285:107–110.

    Google Scholar 

  14. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Practice Parameters for Psychiatric Assessment of Children and Adolescents. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1997; 36 :85S–121S.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Morecraft RJ, Geula C, Mesulam M. Architecture of connectivity within a cingulo-fronto-parietal neurocognitive network for directed attention. Arch Neurol 1993; 50:279–284.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Levy F, Farrow M. Working memory in ADHD: prefrontal/parietal connections. Curr Drug Targets 2001; 2:347–352.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

This study was supported by FAPERGS, NOVARTIS, and FIPE-HCPA.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Claudia M. Szobot, Carla Ketzer, Flávio Kapczinski & Luis A. P. Rohde

  2. Serviço de Psiquiatria da Infância e Adolescência, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2350, CEP 90035-003, RS Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Luis A. P. Rohde

  3. Service of Nuclear Medicine, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Renato D. Cunha

  4. Department of Psychology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Maria A. Parente

  5. Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, USA

    Daniel D. Langleben

  6. Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, USA

    Paul D. Acton

Authors
  1. Claudia M. Szobot
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Carla Ketzer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Renato D. Cunha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Maria A. Parente
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Daniel D. Langleben
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Paul D. Acton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Flávio Kapczinski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Luis A. P. Rohde
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luis A. P. Rohde.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Szobot, C.M., Ketzer, C., Cunha, R.D. et al. The acute effect of methylphenidate on cerebral blood flow in boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Eur J Nucl Med 30, 423–426 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-002-1082-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-002-1082-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation