Increased NAA and reduced choline levels in the anterior cingulum following chronic methylphenidate. A spectroscopic test-retest study in adult ADHD

Item Type:	Article
Title:	Increased NAA and reduced choline levels in the anterior cingulum following chronic methylphenidate. A spectroscopic test-retest study in adult ADHD
Creators Name:	Kronenberg, G. and Ende, G. and Alm, B. and Deuschle, M. and Heuser, I. and Colla, M.
Abstract:	The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is crucially involved in executive control of attention. Here, seven medication-naive adult patients suffering from attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were studied with 2D (1)H-magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) of the ACC [Brodmann areas 24b'-c' and 32'] twice, once before initiation of stimulant treatment and once after 5-6 weeks of methylphenidate. Upon retest, all patients demonstrated marked clinical improvement. Analysis of regional brain spectra revealed a significantly decreased signal of choline containing compounds as well as increased N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) levels following treatment with methylphenidate whereas total creatine remained unchanged. Our results add to a growing body of evidence implicating the ACC in the pathophysiology of ADHD and suggest that subtle structural changes might be associated with aspects of clinical improvement under stimulant treatment.
Keywords:	Adult ADHD, Anterior Cingulate Gyrus, Attention, Methylphenidate, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging
Source:	European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
ISSN:	0940-1334
Publisher:	Springer
Volume:	258
Number:	7
Page Range:	446-450
Date:	October 2008
Official Publication:	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-008-0810-2
PubMed:	View item in PubMed

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