Tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives: a new perspective on monoaminergic dysfunction in children with ADHD?
BACKGROUND
The dopamine-derived tetrahydroisoquinolines (TIQ) synthesized endogeneously from aldehydes and catecholamines have shown to modulate neurotransmission, central metabolism and motor activity. Converging evidence has implicated abnormalities of the dopamine metabolism to the pathophysiology of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Therefore, four TIQ derivatives involved in central dopamine metabolism (salsolinol, N-methyl-salsolinol, norsalsolinol, N-methyl-norsalsolinol) have been analyzed for the first time in children and adolescents with ADHD and healthy controls.


METHODS
42 children and adolescents with ADHD and 24 controls from three sites participated in this pilot study. Free and bound amounts of salsolinol, N-methyl-salsolinol, norsalsolinol, N-methyl-norsalsolinol have been analyzed in urine.


RESULTS
In the ADHD group, free and total amounts of the four TIQ derivatives in urine were significantly higher compared to urine levels of healthy controls. For N-methyl-salsolinolfree, most of the ADHD patients were identified correctly with a sensitivity of 92.5% (specificity 94.4%).


CONCLUSIONS
Urine levels of salsolinol, N-methyl-salsolinol, norsalsolinol and N-methyl-norsalsolinol are elevated in children and adolescents with ADHD and point to a new perspective on catecholaminergic dysfunction in ADHD. However, replication and extension of this pilot study would progress this innovative and promising field.
Roessner
Veit
V
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany. vroessn@gwdg.de.
Walitza
Susanne
S
Riederer
Franz
F
Hünnerkopf
Regina
R
Rothenberger
Aribert
A
Gerlach
Manfred
M
Moser
Andreas
A