Plasma BDNF levels in children with ADHD before and after methylphenidate treatment
Maj-Brit Aastrøm1, Signe Vangkilde1, Julie Ertman Nørkær Lundsgaard1
1Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Insights
Children with ADHD have higher baseline Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) levels than controls. Higher BDNF predicted better response to methylphenidate (MPH) treatment for ADHD symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatrics
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is crucial for brain development and function.
- BDNF is implicated in the pathophysiology of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare plasma BDNF levels in medication-naïve children with ADHD versus healthy controls.
- To assess the impact of methylphenidate (MPH) treatment on plasma BDNF and ADHD symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Measured plasma BDNF in 21 children with ADHD and 25 controls before and after 12 weeks of MPH.
- Controlled for BMI, pubertal status, and physical activity; evaluated BDNF-symptom associations.
Main Results:
- Children with ADHD showed significantly higher baseline plasma BDNF than controls.
- Plasma BDNF remained higher in ADHD patients post-treatment; higher baseline BDNF predicted greater symptom improvement with MPH.
- Higher baseline BDNF levels correlated with better treatment outcomes for inattentive and hyperactivity symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Elevated plasma BDNF in ADHD may represent a compensatory mechanism.
- Baseline BDNF levels could predict methylphenidate treatment response in children with ADHD.
Background:
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is the most abundant neurotrophin in the central nervous system with essential roles in neurodevelopment and maintenance of healthy brain function. Accordingly, BDNF has been suggested to play a role in the pathophysiology of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Objectives:
To investigate whether medication-naïve children with ADHD exhibit altered plasma BDNF levels compared with healthy controls, and to examine whether methylphenidate treatment is associated with changes in plasma BDNF and clinical outcomes.
Methods:
In this study we measured plasma BDNF levels before and after 12 weeks of standard treatment with methylpheni-date (MPH) in 21 medication-naïve children (aged 7-12 years) with ADHD and 25 matched control children. Blood samples were drawn after an overnight fast and analyses were controlled for body mass index, pubertal status, and physical activity. Associations between plasma BDNF levels and clinical symptoms were also evaluated.
Results:
Baseline plasma BDNF levels were significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group and remained significantly higher in the patient group after 12 weeks of MPH treatment. Moreover, higher baseline BDNF levels predicted greater positive effects of MPH treatment as measured by parent-rated inattentive and hyperactivity symptom scores. The findings are discussed in relation to the compensation theory of BDNF for neuropathology.
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