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Prepulse Inhibition of Acoustic Startle and the Influence of Methylphenidate in Children With ADHD

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Journal of Attention Disorders: A Journal of Theoretical and Applied Science

Published online on

Abstract

Objective: ADHD is common among children with comorbidity of enuresis. Findings concerning prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle reflexes are controversial. Although PPI is improved through desamino-arginine vasopressin (dDAVP) in enuresis, some patients also improve concomitant ADHD through dDAVP. This study aims to evaluate whether methylphenidate (MPH) also improves PPI in ADHD. Method: Nineteen ADHD patients were investigated in a prospective, double-blind, crossover study with MPH versus placebo. PPI was measured as a reduction of acoustic startle reflexes. Subgroups of gender, ADHD subtype, and baseline PPI were analyzed. Results: Median baseline PPI of ADHD patients (51.7%) was below the value of age-matched normal controls (73%, p = .090). MPH showed no improvement in the whole group, or the subgroups gender or subtype. Reduced baseline PPI was significantly improved (22.5%-39.3%, p = .039). Conclusion: Heterogeneity of ADHD is confirmed with a wide range of baseline PPI. The improvement of reduced baseline PPI through MPH suggests impaired sensorimotor gating in this subgroup. (J. of Att. Dis. 2012; XX(X) 1-XX)