Proton spectroscopy in medication-free pediatric attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
BACKGROUND
The frontal-striatal pathway has been previously implicated in the neuropathology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Hence, we used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) to examine metabolite levels in the prefrontal cortex of children with ADHD.


METHODS
Nine age- and gender-matched case-control pairs were examined, ages 7 to 16 years. A long-echo 1H-MRS scan was acquired from the right prefrontal cortex and left striatum in all subjects. Compounds that can be visualized with 1H-MRS include N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), glutamate/glutamine/gamma-aminobutyric acid (Glx), creatine/phosphocreatine (Cr), and choline compounds (Cho).


RESULTS
Frontal-striatal glutamatergic resonances were elevated in the children with ADHD as compared to healthy control subjects. No differences were noted in NAA, Cho, or Cr metabolite ratios.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that frontal-striatal Glx resonances may be increased in children with ADHD in comparison with healthy control subjects.
MacMaster
Frank P
FP
Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Carrey
Normand
N
Sparkes
Sandra
S
Kusumakar
Vivek
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000378:metabolism*; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D011522:Protons; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
D000596:Amino Acids; D011522:Protons; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D002794:Choline