Effects of methylphenidate on children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a study using clinical and
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education (MOE), West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Insights
Methylphenidate (MPH) treatment improved attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and neurocognitive function in children. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) identified right medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) activation as a biomarker for treatment response.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Psychiatry
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children.
- Methylphenidate (MPH) is a widely prescribed stimulant medication for ADHD.
- Objective evaluation of MPH efficacy in pediatric ADHD remains a challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To objectively evaluate the therapeutic effects of MPH in children with ADHD.
- To integrate clinical assessments, neuropsychological testing, and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).
- To identify neurofunctional biomarkers for MPH treatment response.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional comparison of 36 children with ADHD and 12 typically developing controls (TDC).
- Pre-post intervention design evaluating 6-month MPH treatment in children with ADHD.
- Utilized Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham IV Rating Scale (SNAP-IV), Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale (WFIRS), go/no-go task, and fNIRS measuring Δavg oxy-Hb in mPFC, DLPFC, and TL.
Main Results:
- Children with ADHD showed higher SNAP-IV and WFIRS scores, lower go/no-go accuracy, and reduced Δavg oxy-Hb in mPFC, DLPFC, and TL at baseline compared to TDC.
- MPH treatment significantly reduced ADHD symptoms and improved go/no-go task performance.
- Significant increase in Δavg oxy-Hb in the right mPFC was observed post-treatment.
Conclusions:
- Right mPFC activation measured by fNIRS serves as a potential neurofunctional biomarker for MPH treatment response in pediatric ADHD.
- A multimodal assessment approach combining clinical, neuropsychological, and fNIRS data offers a robust method for evaluating MPH efficacy.
Objective:
This study aims to provide an objective evaluation of the therapeutic effects of methylphenidate (MPH) in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by integrating clinical assessments, the go/no-go task, and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).
Methods:
This study employed a two-part design. First, a cross-sectional comparison was conducted between 36 children with ADHD and 12 typically developing controls (TDC) to establish baseline neurocognitive and functional differences. Second, a pre-post intervention design was used to evaluate the effects of a 6-month MPH treatment on the 36 children with ADHD. All participants underwent clinical assessments, including the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham IV Rating Scale (SNAP-IV) and the Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale (WFIRS), a go/no-go task, and fNIRS to measure average oxygenated hemoglobin (Δavg oxy-Hb) changes in targeted brain regions, including the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and temporal lobe (TL).
Results:
The findings of the present study revealed that, at baseline, children with ADHD had significantly higher scores on the SNAP-IV and WFIRS than the TDC group. On the go/no-go task, accuracy for both go and no-go trials was significantly lower in the ADHD group than in the TDC group. Furthermore, fNIRS data indicated that the ADHD group had significantly lower Δavg oxy-Hb levels than the TDC group in the bilateral mPFC, right DLPFC, and bilateral TL. After 6 months of MPH treatment, children with ADHD showed significant reductions in SNAP-IV and WFIRS scores. Concurrently, they showed significantly increased accuracy on both go and no-go trials, along with significantly decreased reaction times on go trials. Furthermore, Δavg oxy-Hb levels increased significantly in the right mPFC.
Conclusion:
Our findings suggest that activation in the right mPFC is a viable objective neurofunctional biomarker for monitoring MPH treatment response using fNIRS. Concurrently, a multimodal assessment strategy integrating clinical evaluations, neuropsychological testing (go/no-go task), and fNIRS holds significant promise as a robust method for objectively determining the therapeutic efficacy of MPH in pediatric ADHD.
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