Improved prefrontal activity in AD/HD children treated with atomoxetine: a NIRS study.
OBJECTIVE
Atomoxetine (ATX), a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, is the first approved non-stimulant drug for treatment of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). The present study examined the effects of long-term treatment with ATX on prefrontal hemodynamic activity in AD/HD children during a continuous performance task (CPT) using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS).


METHODS
Prefrontal hemodynamic activity was measured in 12 children with AD/HD during experimental sessions conducted before and 6 months or more after starting ATX treatment. The average maintenance dose of ATX was 1.6 mg/kg/day. Fourteen age-matched typically developing children participated as a control group.


RESULTS
In the control group, the CPT induced a significant increase in oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentration in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). In the AD/HD group in the pre-ATX condition, the CPT did not induce a significant increase in oxy-Hb concentration in any of the NIRS channels, but induced a significant decrease in oxy-Hb concentration in the left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC). In the AD/HD group in the post-ATX condition, significant activation was observed in the right DLPFC and the decrease in oxy-Hb concentration in the left VLPFC disappeared.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that long-term treatment with ATX improved prefrontal hemodynamic activity in AD/HD children, and NIRS may be useful for assessment of the prefrontal hemodynamic response to ATX treatment.
Department of Pediatrics, Asahikawa Medical University, Japan; Medical Research Center for Children's Development, Asahikawa Medical University, Japan.
Akiko
A
Araki
Department of Psychology, Asahikawa Medical University, Japan. Electronic address: ikegamim@asahikawa-med.ac.jp.
Masanaga
M
Ikegami
Department of Pediatrics, Asahikawa Medical University, Japan; Medical Research Center for Children's Development, Asahikawa Medical University, Japan.
Akie
A
Okayama
Department of Pediatrics, Asahikawa Medical University, Japan.
Naoya
N
Matsumoto
Department of Pediatrics, Asahikawa Medical University, Japan.
Satoru
S
Takahashi
Department of Pediatrics, Asahikawa Medical University, Japan; Medical Research Center for Children's Development, Asahikawa Medical University, Japan.
Hiroshi
H
Azuma
Department of Psychology, Asahikawa Medical University, Japan.
Masaharu
M
Takahashi
D000293:Adolescent; D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069445:Atomoxetine Hydrochloride; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects*; D011437:Propylamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared
D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors; D011437:Propylamines; D000069445:Atomoxetine Hydrochloride
Atomoxetine; Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder; Continuous performance task; Near-infrared spectroscopy; Prefrontal cortex