Increased prefrontal hemodynamic change after atomoxetine administration in pediatric attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder as measured by near‐infrared spectroscopy

Abstract

Aim: Atomoxetine, approved in Japan for the treatment of pediatric attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in April 2009, is a nonstimulant that is thought to act presynaptically via the inhibition of norepinephrine reuptake. Near-infrared spectroscopy is a non-invasive optical tool that can be used to study oxygenation and hemodynamic changes in the cerebral cortex. The present study examined the effects of a clinical dose of atomoxetine on changes in prefrontal hemodynamic activity in children with ADHD, as measured by near-infrared spectroscopy using the Stroop Color-Word Task.Methods: Ten children with ADHD participated in the present study. We used 24-channel near-infrared spectroscopy to measure the relative concentrations of oxyhemoglobin in the frontal lobes of participants in the drug-naïve condition and those who had received atomoxetine for 8 weeks. Measurements were conducted every 0.1 s during the Stroop Color-Word Task. We used the ADHD Rating Scale-IV-Japanese version (Home Version) to evaluate ADHD symptoms. Results:We found a significant decrease in ADHD Rating Scale-IV-Japanese version scores, from 30.7 to 22.6 (P = 0.003). During the Stroop Color-Word Task, we found significantly higher levels of oxyhemoglobin changes in the prefrontal cortex of participants in the atomoxetine condition compared with those in the drug-naïve condition.Conclusions: This increase in oxyhemoglobin changes might indicate an intensified prefrontal hemodynamic response induced by atomoxetine. Near-infrared spectroscopy is a sensitive tool for measuring the pharmacological effects of atomoxetine in children with ADHD.

Maternal Stress, Pregnancy Diseases and Child Hyperactivity and Attention Deficit (ADHD)

“…Risk factors include familial stressors, physical and psychological and sexual child abuse, anxiety disorders, learning disabilities, abnormal brain development, heritability, and dopamine polymorphisms [6]. Mother hyperemesis gravídarum, oligohydramnios and loss of amniotic fluid, abnormal uterine bleeding during pregnancy, as reported in the present study has not been related thus far as risk factors for child attention deficit.…”

Differential therapeutic effects of atomoxetine and methylphenidate in childhood attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder as measured by near-infrared spectroscopy

“…In an NIRS study of medication, Ota et al examined the effects of a clinical dose of ATX on changes in prefrontal hemodynamic response during the Stroop color-word task in pediatric ADHD. They found that ATX induced an intensified prefrontal hemodynamic response [31]. In another NIRS study, Araki et al found that the oxy-Hb concentration in the right dorsolateral PFC in the post-ATX condition was significantly increased compared to the pre-ATX condition during a continuous performance task [32].…”

Deficit of Learning and Memory in Children with Hiperactivity and Attention deficit (ADHD). A Clinical Descriptive and Qualitative Study

“…Therefore, the NET is suggested to play a critical role in ADHD Ota et al [24]. Recent studies have shown that ADHD is characterized by multiple functional and structural neural network abnormalities including most prominently fronto-striatal, but also fronto-parieto-temporal, fronto-cerebellar and even fronto-limbic networks Castejon et al [25] Evidence from longitudinal structural imaging studies has shown that ADHD is characterized by a delay in structural brain maturation Rubia et al [26].…”