¹H-Magnetic resonance spectroscopy study of stimulant medication effect on brain metabolites in French Canadian children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Figures & data

Figure 1 Striatal voxel localization.

Figure 2 Prefrontal voxel localization.

Figure 3 Left cerebellum voxel localization.

Figure 4 Example of SRM spectra.

Note: The MRS data were analyzed using the LCModel software, v.6.0 (LCModel Inc., Ontario, Canada).³¹
Abbreviations: Glx, glutamate-glutamine; Cho, choline; Cr, creatine; Glu, glutamate; NAA, N acetyl aspartate.

Table 1 Clinical and socio-demographic characteristics of children with ADHD drug naïve or on stimulants and normal developing controls

Characteristics	Drug naïve (n=45)	Stimulant (n=57)	Control (n=38)	P
	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)
Age in months	105.8 (25.9)	116.3 (22.3)	98.5 (22.9)	0.02
IQ	98.8 (13.4)	98.0 (13.2)	106.3 (14.3)
Male/female (n)	32/13	43/14	25/13	0.59
ADHD type (n) (C/I/H)	31/13/1	37/18/2	–	0.88
Comorbidities (n)
(CD/ODD/MD/GAD)	3/16/1/1	3/19/2/2	0/6/0/1	ns

Abbreviations: IQ, intelligence quotient; ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; C, combined; I, inattentive; H, hyperactive/impulsive; CD, conduct disorder; ODD, oppositional defiant disorder; MD, major depression; GAD, generalized anxiety disorder; ns, non significant.

Table 2 Scores on the diagnostic interview schedule for children version IV (DISC-IV) for children with ADHD drug naïve or on stimulants and normal developing controls

	Drug naïve (n=45)	Stimulant (n=57)	Control (n=38)	F
	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)
Inattention	6.6 (2.3)	7.1 (2.0)	3.1 (2.7)	38.7*
Hyperactivity	4.8 (2.9)	4.5 (3.0)	1.7 (1.8)	16.3*
Total ADHD symptoms	13.0 (4.5)	13.0 (4.6)	5.7 (4.1)	37.8*
Impairment	7.0 (3.5)	9.0 (4.2)	3.7 (3.7)	21.3*

Note:

* P values are <0.001.

Abbreviation: ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Table 3 Mean metabolite ratios for five brain regions in children with ADHD drug naïve or on stimulants and normal developing controls

	Drug naïve (n=45)	Stimulant (n=57)	Control (n=38)	F	P
	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)
Left prefrontal cortex
Glu/Cr	1.46 (0.22)	1.37 (0.27)	1.46 (0.19)	2.31	0.10
Cho/Cr	0.29 (0.04)	0.31 (0.04)	0.31 (0.03)	3.15	0.04
NAA/Cr	1.41 (0.17)	1.42 (0.15)	1.40 (0.13)	0.12	0.88
Glx/Cr	2.25 (0.37)	2.11 (0.38)	2.25 (0.32)	2.38	0.10
Right prefrontal cortex
Glu/Cr	1.44 (0.23)	1.43 (0.24)	1.43 (0.19)	0.04	0.96
Cho/Cr	0.36 (0.37)	0.31 (0.05)	0.31 (0.03)	0.07	0.93
NAA/Cr	1.43 (0.24)	1.39 (0.15)	1.41 (0.13)	0.71	0.49
Glx/Cr	2.17 (0.31)	2.21 (0.47)	2.19 (0.41)	0.13	0.88
Left striatum
Glu/Cr	1.29 (0.26)	1.29 (0.18)	1.30 (0.17)	0.92	0.91
Cho/Cr	0.24 (0.03)	0.24 (0.03)	0.24 (0.03)	0.29	0.75
NAA/Cr	1.24 (0.17)	1.14 (0.15)	1.20 (0.15)	4.80	0.01
Glx/Cr	1.87 (0.37)	1.94 (033)	1.95 (0.34)	0.67	0.51
Right striatum
Glu/Cr	1.34 (0.27)	1.27 (0.18)	1.25 (0.19)	2.29	0.11
Cho/Cr	0.24 (0.04)	0.24 (0.03)	0.24 (0.04)	0.24	0.79
NAA/Cr	1.23 (0.19)	1.16 (0.15)	1.21 (0.17)	1.80	0.16
Glx/Cr	2.06 (0.45)	1.95 (0.31)	1.92 (0.27)	1.90	0.15
Left cerebellum
Glu/Cr	0.98 (0.18)	0.99 (0.21)	0.96 (0.24)	0.18	0.83
Cho/Cr	0.26 (0.03)	0.26 (0.03)	0.26 (0.03)	0.35	0.71
NAA/Cr	1.07 (0.16)	1.06 (0.21)	1.09 (0.21)	0.29	0.75
Glx/Cr	1.73 (0.48)	1.56 (0.33)	1.53 (0.40)	2.96	0.05

Abbreviations: ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Glu/Cr, ratio glutamate/creatine; Cho/Cr, ratio choline/creatine; NAA/Cr, ratio N-acetylaspartate/creatine; Glx, ratio glutamate+glutamine/creatine.

ProvencherSWEstimation of metabolite concentrations from localized in vivo proton NMR spectraMagn Reson Med19933066726798139448

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar