Preliminary evidence differentiating ADHD using brain SPECT imaging in older patients
Daniel G Amen1, Chris Hanks, Jill Prunella
1Department of Psychiatric Medicine, Amen Clinics, Inc., Newport Beach, CA, USA.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
|August 30, 2008
Summary
Older adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) show distinct brain activity patterns. Brain SPECT imaging revealed significantly lower cortical activity in ADHD patients compared to healthy individuals, supporting the executive dysfunction model.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Psychiatry
- Gerontology
Background:
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is increasingly recognized in older adults.
- Understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of ADHD in this demographic is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To differentiate older adult ADHD patients from healthy controls using high-resolution brain SPECT imaging.
- To investigate regional brain activity differences in older adults with ADHD.
Main Methods:
- Utilized chart reviews, DSM-IV criteria, and psychiatric diagnoses to identify 27 older adult ADHD patients (combined or inattentive types).
- Compared ADHD patients with an age-matched healthy control group using brain SPECT imaging at rest and during a concentration task.
- Employed semiquantitative visual readings for SPECT data analysis.
Main Results:
- Significantly lower cortical activity was observed in the ADHD group compared to controls.
- Reduced activity was particularly noted in the prefrontal poles, orbits, and parietal lobes of older ADHD patients.
- Brain SPECT imaging successfully differentiated older ADHD patients from healthy subjects.
Conclusions:
- Older adults with ADHD exhibit distinct patterns of reduced cortical activity.
- Brain SPECT imaging is a viable tool for discerning ADHD in older populations.
- Findings support the executive dysfunction model of ADHD in older individuals.
