Dopamine Transporter in Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Normalizes After Cessation of Methylphenidate

Feron, Frans J.M.; Hendriksen, Jos G.M.; van Kroonenburgh, Marinus J.P.G.; Blom-Coenjaerts, Ciska; Kessels, Alfons G.H.; Jolles, Jelle; Weber, Wim E.J.; Vles, Johan S.H.

doi:10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2005.04.008

« Previous Next »Pediatric Neurology
Volume 33, Issue 3 , Pages 179-183, September 2005

Dopamine Transporter in Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Normalizes After Cessation of Methylphenidate

Frans J.M. Feron, MD
- Youth Health Care Division of the Regional Public Health Institute Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Communications should be addressed to: Dr. Feron; Youth Health Care Division of the Regional Public Health Institute Maastricht; PO Box 3973; 6202 NZ Maastricht; The Netherlands.
Jos G.M. Hendriksen, PhD
- Department of Child Neurology, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Marinus J.P.G. van Kroonenburgh, MD, PhD
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Ciska Blom-Coenjaerts
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Alfons G.H. Kessels, MD
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Technology Assessment, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Jelle Jolles, PhD
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Wim E.J. Weber, MD, PhD
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Johan S.H. Vles, MD, PhD
- Department of Child Neurology, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands

Received 30 December 2004; accepted 18 April 2005.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder of childhood, which is frequently treated with methylphenidate. The short-term response to treatment with methylphenidate is a substantial decrease in dopamine transporter density, with improvement in neuropsychological tests. In this study, single-photon emission computed tomography was used to investigate possible long-term alterations in the cerebral dopamine system after cessation of treatment with methylphenidate in five children with ADHD. Three months after initiation of treatment with methylphenidate, a reduction of the dopamine transporter in the striatal system was observed. Methylphenidate was administered for a period of 9 to 20 months. Follow-up with single-photon emission computed tomography after withdrawal of methylphenidate medication disclosed an increase of dopamine transporter activity comparable with pretreatment values. The observed upregulation of dopamine transporter activity might support the assumption that methylphenidate does not lead to permanent damage of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathways.