Cerebrospinal fluid homovanillic acid and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in adults with attention deficit disorder, residual type

Abstract

Following the hypothesis that attention deficit disorder in adults (attention deficit disorder, residual type; ADD, RT), as well as in children, is associated with decreased central dopaminergic activity, the authors measured lumbar cerebrospinal fluid monoamine metabolites in a group of adults with ADD, RT and matched control subjects. Patients were then entered into a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of methylphenidate. It was predicted that the patients would have lower levels of homovanillic acid (HVA), the major dopamine metabolite in humans. Patients who had a significant response to methylphenidate showed a trend in this direction. Nonresponding patients had significantly higher levels of HVA than controls.