The effect of methylphenidate on very low frequency electroencephalography oscillations in adult ADHD.
Altered very low-frequency electroencephalographic (VLF-EEG) activity is an endophenotype of ADHD in children and adolescents. We investigated VLF-EEG case-control differences in adult samples and the effects of methylphenidate (MPH). A longitudinal case-control study was conducted examining the effects of MPH on VLF-EEG (.02-0.2Hz) during a cued continuous performance task. 41 untreated adults with ADHD and 47 controls were assessed, and 21 cases followed up after MPH treatment, with a similar follow-up for 38 controls (mean follow-up=9.4months). Cases had enhanced frontal and parietal VLF-EEG and increased omission errors. In the whole sample, increased parietal VLF-EEG correlated with increased omission errors. After controlling for subthreshold comorbid symptoms, VLF-EEG case-control differences and treatment effects remained. Post-treatment, a time by group interaction emerged; VLF-EEG and omission errors reduced to the same level as controls, with decreased inattentive symptoms in cases. Reduced VLF-EEG following MPH treatment provides preliminary evidence that changes in VLF-EEG may relate to MPH treatment effects on ADHD symptoms; and that VLF-EEG may be an intermediate phenotype of ADHD. Further studies of the treatment effect of MPH in larger controlled studies are required to formally evaluate any causal link between MPH, VLF-EEG and ADHD symptoms.
['Cooper|Ruth E|RE|', 'Skirrow|Caroline|C|', 'Tye|Charlotte|C|', 'McLoughlin|Grainne|G|', 'Rijsdijk|Fruhling|F|', 'Banaschweski|Tobias|T|', 'Brandeis|Daniel|D|', 'Kuntsi|Jonna|J|', 'Asherson|Philip|P|']
D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D001288:Attention D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity D001921:Brain D016022:Case-Control Studies D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants D003463:Cues D004569:Electroencephalography D006801:Humans D008137:Longitudinal Studies D008297:Male D008774:Methylphenidate D008875:Middle Aged D055815:Young Adult
Methylphenidate Endophenotype Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Default mode network Electroencephalography (EEG) Very low frequency oscillations (VLFOs)