Related Experiment Videos
Attention deficit disorder symptoms and urine catecholamines
G A Rogeness1, J W Maas, M A Javors
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio 78284-7792.
Psychiatry Research
|March 1, 1989
Summary
Attention deficit disorder (ADD) symptoms in boys may link to dopamine and norepinephrine levels. Low dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) activity correlated ADD symptoms with biochemical measures, suggesting a genetic link.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Child Psychology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Attention deficit disorder (ADD) symptoms, including hyperactivity and concentration deficits, are potentially linked to altered dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurotransmitter systems.
- Dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) is a key enzyme in catecholamine synthesis, and its activity may influence behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between attention deficit disorder (ADD) symptoms and 24-hour urinary catecholamines and their metabolites in emotionally disturbed boys.
- To explore how plasma dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) activity and diagnostic groups (conduct disorder, socialized; conduct disorder, undersocialized; no conduct disorder) influence these biochemical-behavioral correlations.
Main Methods:
- Categorized emotionally disturbed boys into low and high plasma DBH activity groups.
- Further classified subjects into diagnostic groups: conduct disorder (socialized/undersocialized) and no conduct disorder.
- Correlated 24-hour urinary catecholamines (e.g., norepinephrine) and metabolites (e.g., vanillylmandelic acid) with ADD symptom severity.
Main Results:
- Boys in the low DBH group exhibited significant correlations between ADD symptoms and urinary catecholamine measures.
- The low DBH group may represent a more genetically homogeneous sample regarding catecholamine function, enhancing observed behavioral-biochemical links.
- Boys with socialized conduct disorder showed elevated 24-hour urinary norepinephrine and vanillylmandelic acid output.
- The interplay between monoamines and their metabolites varied across different diagnostic classifications.
Conclusions:
- Alterations in dopaminergic and noradrenergic functioning are implicated in attention deficit disorder (ADD) symptoms.
- Plasma DBH activity levels can influence the visibility of catecholamine-behavior relationships in children.
- Specific diagnostic categories, like socialized conduct disorder, are associated with distinct patterns of catecholamine metabolite excretion.