Dataset Information

Association between Individual Norepinephrine Transporter (NET) Availability and Response to Pharmacological Therapy in Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

ABSTRACT:

Background

The role of the norepinephrine transporter (NET) has received increased focus in recent studies on the pathogenesis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The predictive value for pharmacological treatment and its link to other health or social limitations has been little-studied. This follow-up research on adult patients with ADHD aimed to explore whether the therapy response and health and social impairments depend on baseline individual NET availability.

Methods

Data were collected from 10 patients on personal, family and professional situations, mental and physical health and treatments received after baseline via online and telephone surveys and were compared to baseline data to evaluate treatment-related changes.

Results

The majority of our ADHD patients did not show therapy responses but showed improvements due to pharmacological treatment. There was no evidence of relationships between pre-treatment NET availability and therapy response or health/social limitations.

Conclusions

Pharmacological monotherapy was insufficient to promote symptom remission, especially for participants with extreme insufficiency in NET availability, but improved outcomes in academic and social functioning. Psychotherapy should be considered as an add-on to the standard treatment approach due to its positive outcome in reducing social limitations. The prognostic value of individual NET availability in predicting the response to therapy needs further studies with large sample sizes.

SUBMITTER: Huang J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9331391 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:While psychiatric comorbidities of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been extensively explored, less attention has been paid to somatic conditions possibly associated with this disorder. However, mounting evidence in the last decade pointed to a possible significant association between ADHD and certain somatic conditions, including obesity. This papers provides an update of a previous systematic review on the relationship between obesity and ADHD (Cortese and Vincenzi, Curr Top Behav Neurosci 9:199-218, 2012), focusing on pertinent peer-reviewed empirical papers published since 2012. We conducted a systematic search in PubMed, Ovid, and Web of Knowledge databases (search dates: from January 1st, 2012, to July 16th, 2016). We retained a total of 41 studies, providing information on the prevalence of obesity in individuals with ADHD, focusing on the rates of ADHD in individuals with obesity, or reporting data useful to gain insight into possible mechanisms underlying the putative association between ADHD and obesity. Overall, over the past 4 years, an increasing number of studies have assessed the prevalence of obesity in individuals with ADHD or the rates of ADHD in patients with obesity. Although findings are mixed across individual studies, meta-analytic evidence shows a significant association between ADHD and obesity, regardless of possible confounding factors such as psychiatric comorbidities. An increasing number of studies have also addressed possible mechanisms underlying the link between ADHD and obesity, highlighting the role, among others, of abnormal eating patterns, sedentary lifestyle, and possible common genetic alterations. Importantly, recent longitudinal studies support a causal role of ADHD in contributing to weight gain. The next generation of studies in the field should explore if and to which extent the treatment of comorbid ADHD in individuals with obesity may lead to long-term weight loss, ultimately improving their overall well-being and quality of life.