Effectiveness of methylphenidate and PUFA for the treatment of patients with ADHD: A double-blinded randomized
Mahbobeh Firouzkouhi Moghaddam1, Maryam Shamekhi2, Tayebeh Rakhshani3
1M.D. of Psychiatry, Assistant Professor, Research Center for Children and Adolescent Health, Department of Children and Adolescent Psychiatry, Zahedan University of Medical Science, Zahedan, Iran.
Insights
This study found that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) combined with methylphenidate effectively treated attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. PUFA supplementation showed a significant improvement in ADHD symptoms compared to placebo.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Nutritional Psychiatry
- Clinical Pharmacology
Background:
- Sub-optimal nutrient levels, including polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) like omega-3, are observed in some children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- Existing research on the therapeutic effects of PUFA in ADHD presents contradictory findings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the combined effectiveness of methylphenidate and PUFA in treating ADHD in children.
- To compare the efficacy of methylphenidate plus PUFA versus methylphenidate plus placebo in an Iranian pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- A clinical trial involving 40 children (ages 6-12) diagnosed with ADHD in Zahedan, Iran.
- Participants were randomized into two groups: methylphenidate plus PUFA, and methylphenidate plus placebo.
- The ADHD Rating Scale was administered before and after the 8-week treatment period; data were analyzed using SPSS, t-tests, and chi-square tests.
Main Results:
- Both treatment groups showed a significant reduction in ADHD symptom severity (p<0.001).
- The methylphenidate plus PUFA group exhibited a higher response rate (90%) compared to the methylphenidate plus placebo group (60%) (p=0.028).
- While the reduction in symptom severity was greater in the PUFA group (19.7±5.9 vs. 15.1±9.3), this difference was not statistically significant (p<0.067).
Conclusions:
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) demonstrate efficacy as an adjunctive treatment for ADHD in children.
- PUFA supplementation, in conjunction with methylphenidate, appears to enhance treatment outcomes for ADHD.
- Further research with larger sample sizes and longer durations is recommended to confirm these findings.
Background:
In some children with ADHD, sub-optimal levels of various nutrients including PUFA especially omega-3 has been observed, and contradictory reports exist on the results of studies conducted on the positive therapeutic effects of PUFA in patients with ADHD.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of methylphenidate and PUFA on treatment of patients with ADHD in Zahedan, Iran.
Methods:
In this clinical trial, 40 children between 6 and 12 years of age with ADHD were investigated in Zahedan in 2014. Patients were randomly divided into two groups of methylphenidate plus PUFA and methylphenidate plus placebo. ADHD rating scale was filled before and after the study for patients of both groups. Finally, data were analyzed using SPSS18, paired-samples t-test and chi-square.
Results:
Mean age of patients was 2.9±1.8 years. Thirty-three children (82.5%) were boys and seven children (17.5%) were girls. Mean severity of signs in the group under methylphenidate plus PUFA treatment was 39.9±4.9 before treatment and 20.1±6.0 after 8 weeks of treatment (p<0.001). Mean severity of signs in the group under methylphenidate plus placebo treatment was 41.2±2.7 before treatment and 26.1±9.0 after 8 weeks of treatment (p<0.001). Mean reduction in the severity of symptoms in the group under methylphenidate therapy was 19.7±5.9 and in PUFA and placebo group it was 15.1±9.3 (p<0.067). Response to treatment (a reduction of at least 25% in the signs) in the group taking methylphenidate plus PUFA was 90% (18 patients) and in methylphenidate plus placebo group, it was 60% (12 patients) (p=0.028).
Conclusion:
This study shows that PUFA is an efficient nutrient to treat ADHD and it can be used to treat patients. However, definitive conclusion requires repeating the study with a larger sample and longer study period.
Trial Registration:
The trial was registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (http://www.irct.ir) with the Irct ID: IRCT2015092724209N2.
Funding:
The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
More Related Videos
05:48The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients
Published on: June 12, 2020
13:09Using Brain Activation nir-HEG/Q-EEG and Execution Measures CPTs in a ADHD Assessment Protocol
Published on: April 1, 2018
Related Concept Videos
01:30Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings....
01:28Adrenergic Agonists: Mixed-Action Agents
Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine lack a catecholamine group, making them less susceptible to degradation by metabolic enzymes. They have increased oral bioavailability and lipophilicity, resulting in a longer duration of action. Their response is reduced by...
02:07Blind Procedures
01:11Blinding
01:23Nonlinear Pharmacokinetics: Dependence of Elimination Half-Life and Dose Clearance
A study on guinea pigs examined the...
01:54The Placebo Effect