Does stimulant medication decrease the lower extremity response times of children with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder?
In 2005 Pedersen and Surburg reported that stimulant medications reduced the lower extremity response times of 16 boys with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. However, as boys without ADHD and girls with and without ADHD were not studied, one cannot conclude that reported effects represent a medication effect unique to children with ADHD. An alternative hypothesis is presented: that stimulant medications produce an excitatory effect in the central nervous system by increased occupancy of postsynaptic dopamine receptors to reduce the lower extremity response times of children in general. Well-designed controlled clinical trials are needed to evaluate this hypothesis.
Brasić
James Robert
JR
Division of Nuclear Medicine, The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center, 601 North Caroline Street, Room 3245, Baltimore, MD 21287-0807, USA. brasic@jhmi.edu
D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000294:innervation*; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects*; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000187:drug effects; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine