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Event Related Potentials (ERPs) and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
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Event Related Potentials (ERPs) and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

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Bupropion versus methylphenidate in the treatment of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder:

Morteza Jafarinia1, Mohammad-Reza Mohammadi, Amirhossein Modabbernia

  • 1Psychiatric Research Centre, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Human Psychopharmacology
|July 19, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Bupropion and methylphenidate show similar effectiveness for treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in young patients. Both medications demonstrated comparable safety profiles, with headache being more common with methylphenidate.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Psychiatry
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children and adolescents.
  • Methylphenidate is a widely used stimulant medication for ADHD treatment.
  • Alternative medications are sought to manage ADHD symptoms and improve treatment options.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the safety and efficacy of bupropion versus methylphenidate in pediatric ADHD patients.
  • To evaluate treatment response and adverse events for both medications.

Main Methods:

  • A 6-week randomized, double-blind study included 44 children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD.
  • Participants received either bupropion (100-150 mg/day) or methylphenidate (20-30 mg/day).
  • Symptom severity was assessed using the ADHD Rating Scale-IV (ADHD-RS-IV) via parent and teacher reports at baseline and weeks 3 and 6.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in Parent or Teacher ADHD-RS-IV scores were observed between bupropion and methylphenidate groups.
  • Response rates on the Parent scale were high and similar (90%) in both groups by week 6.
  • While not statistically significant, a higher proportion of patients in the methylphenidate group responded on the Teacher scale.
  • Headache occurred more frequently with methylphenidate; other side effects were comparable.

Conclusions:

  • Bupropion demonstrates a safety and efficacy profile comparable to methylphenidate for treating ADHD in children and adolescents.
  • Bupropion represents a viable alternative treatment option for pediatric ADHD.
Abstract

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