Evaluation of Brain Neurotransmitter Levels in Adults With ADHD, Before and After Stimulant Treatment

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent neurobiological brain disorders. Diagnosis of ADHD in adults is complex and subjective. Recent studies give further support for the involvement of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmitters in the pathophysiology of ADHD. Studies show that glutamate (Glu) and GABA change according to stimulant treatment. Measuring modulations in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of Glu and GABA may help to explore the pathophysiology of ADHD and give a diagnostic biomarker tool for ADHD in adults. Aim: To characterize Glu and GABA levels in the ACC, by using the proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (\[1H\]MRS) system in adults with ADHD compared to healthy control subjects (HCS), before and after stimulant treatment, and to correlate between Glu and GABA levels and clinical symptoms. Method: ADHD adults ages 18-40 years (N= 35), and HCS (N= 25), will fill out a DSMV and ASRS questionnaire. Spectroscopic analyses will be done using 1H MRS (3T) in ADHD adults, before and after stimulant treatment (Methylphenidate /Mixed Amphetamine salts) in an open-label fashion as compared to HCS. Proton spectra will be acquired from the ACC.