title: Cerebrospinal fluid homovanillic acid and 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid in adults with attention deficit disorder, residual type.
abstract: Following the hypothesis that attention deficit disorder in adults (attention deficit disorder, residual type; ADD, RT), as well as in children, is associated with decreased central dopaminergic activity, the authors measured lumbar cerebrospinal fluid monoamine metabolites in a group of adults with ADD, RT and matched control subjects. Patients were then entered into a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of methylphenidate. It was predicted that the patients would have lower levels of homovanillic acid (HVA), the major dopamine metabolite in humans. Patients who had a significant response to methylphenidate showed a trend in this direction. Nonresponding patients had significantly higher levels of HVA than controls.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000494:pharmacology; D010648:Phenylacetates / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
chemical_list: D010648:Phenylacetates; D008774:Methylphenidate; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D006719:Homovanillic Acid