Striatal neuronal loss or dysfunction and choline rise in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.
Twelve previously untreated boys suffering from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were investigated by using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) before and after one dose (10 mg) of methylphenidate. Pre- and post-methylphenidate spectra were acquired bilaterally in the globus pallidus. Peaks of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), myo-inositol, glutamate and creatine (Cr) were measured and the ratios of the peaks were calculated and compared with data from ten matched controls. In children having ADHD, NAA/Cr ratio decreased significantly in the bilateral striatum while Cho/Cr ratio showed a mild unilateral increase. One oral dose of methylphenidate did not affect the ratios significantly. These findings suggest that the striatum was bilaterally involved in pediatric ADHD patients. Approximately 20-25% of neurons may have died or may be severely dysfunctional. There seems to be a mild hyperactivity of the cholinergic system.
Jin
Z
Z
Center for fMRI and Department of Radiology, Hospital 306, P.O. Box 9720, 100101, Beijing, China. mdjin@btamail.net.cn
Zang
Y F
YF
Zeng
Y W
YW
Zhang
L
L
Wang
Y F
YF
D000293:Adolescent; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D016923:Cell Death; D002648:Child; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology
D001224:Aspartic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine; D002794:Choline