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ADHD: increased dopamine receptor availability linked to attention deficit and low neonatal cerebral blood flow
Author(s) -
Lou Hans C,
Rosa; Pedro,
Pryds Ole,
Karrebæk Hanne,
Lunding Jytte,
Cumming Paul,
Gjedde Albert
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
developmental medicine and child neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.658
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1469-8749
pISSN - 0012-1622
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2004.tb00469.x
Subject(s) - dopaminergic , cerebral blood flow , raclopride , dopamine , dopamine receptor , psychology , attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , medicine , dopamine receptor d2 , neuroscience , psychiatry
Attention‐deficit‐hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), while largely thought to be a genetic disorder, has environmental factors that appear to contribute significantly to the aetiopathogenesis of the disorder. One such factor is pretern birth with vulnerable cerebrovascular homeostasis. We hypothesised that cerebral ischaemia at birth could contribute to persistent deficient dopaminergic neurotransmission, which is thought to be the pathophysiological basis of the disorder. We examined dopamine D 2/3 receptor binding with positron emission tomography (PET) using [ 11 C] raclopride as a tracer, and continuous reaction times (RT) with a computerized test of variables (TOVA) in six adolescents (12–14 years of age, one female) who had been examined with cerebral blood flow (CBF) measurements at preterm birth and had a subsequent history of attention deficit. We found that high dopamine receptor availability (‘empty receptors’) was linked with increased RT and RT variability, supporting the concept of a dopaminergic role in symptomatology. High dopamine receptor availability was predicted by low neonatal CBF, supporting the hypothesis of cerebral ischaemia as a contributing factor in infants susceptible to ADHD.