Imaging the Effects of Stimulant Medication on Emotional Lability in Patients With ADHD
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2018-06-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The aim of this study is to examine the mechanisms by which stimulant medications reduce
symptoms in patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Using Magnetic
Resonance Imaging (MRI), the investigators have found that the volumes of certain brain
regions are reduced in patients with ADHD. The reduced volumes were much less pronounced if
patients had been treated with stimulant medications, suggesting that stimulants may reduce
the symptoms of ADHD by reversing these volume reductions. In a second and related study, the
investigators found that in patients with ADHD, emotional processing was normalized when
patients were taking stimulant medications. Both studies point to possible mechanisms by
which stimulants are effective; however, a significant limitation of these findings is that
they were derived from cross-sectional studies.
In this current study, the investigators hope to replicate these treatment effects of
stimulants in a prospective, controlled manner. The investigators plan to measure ADHD
symptom severity in patients before and after 12-weeks of controlled treatment with either a
stimulant medication or placebo while utilizing structural and functional MRI. Combining
imaging with a randomized controlled trial will allow us to better assess the effects of
stimulants on brain function and structure.
Phase:
N/A
Details
Lead Sponsor:
New York State Psychiatric Institute
Collaborator:
Shire
Treatments:
Central Nervous System Stimulants Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate