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Light up ADHD: II. Neuropharmacological effects measured by near infrared spectroscopy: is there a biomarker?
Silvia Grazioli1, Maddalena Mauri1, Alessandro Crippa1
1Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, via Don Luigi Monza 20, Bosisio Parini (LC), Lecco 23842, Italy.
Background:
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in self-controlling attention, behavior, and emotions. In recent years, noninvasive optical techniques, such as near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), have been used to measure the neural correlates of pharmacological-therapy outcomes in children and adolescents with ADHD.
Methods:
We reviewed a short series of articles that investigated the results of functional NIRS (fNIRS) on developmental-age ADHD. The review was limited to fNIRS studies that investigated the cortical responses that occurred during neuropsychological tasks in ADHD patients who received methylphenidate or atomoxetine.
Results:
The majority of the reviewed studies revealed the presence of increased oxygenated hemoglobin concentrations in the prefrontal cortex following pharmacotherapy in ADHD samples. A higher frequency of right-lateralized results was found.
Limitations:
The considered studies are characterized by substantial methodological heterogeneity in terms of the patients' medication status and washout period, explored cerebral regions, and neuropsychological tasks.
Conclusions:
fNIRS seems to be a promising tool for the detection of pharmacological-treatment biomarkers in samples of children and adolescents with ADHD.
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