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Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health
Published in: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research article

Reduced pain perception in children and adolescents with ADHD is normalized by methylphenidate

Authors: Nicole Wolff, Katya Rubia, Hildtraud Knopf, Heike Hölling, Julia Martini, Stefan Ehrlich, Veit Roessner

Published in: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health | Issue 1/2016

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Abstract

Background

The present study examined pain perception in children and adolescents with ADHD and the interaction between pain perception and the administration of methylphenidate (MPH) in order to generate hypotheses for further research that will help to clarify the association between ADHD diagnosis, MPH treatment and pain perception.

Methods

We included 260 children and adolescents of the “German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents” (KiGGS) and analyzed parent’s assessments of children’s pain distribution and pain perception, as well as the influence of MPH administration on pain perception in affected children and adolescents.

Results

Pain perception was associated with ADHD and MPH administration, indicating that children and adolescents suffering from ADHD without MPH treatment were reported to have lower pain perception compared to both, healthy controls (HC) and ADHD patients medicated with MPH.

Conclusion

We suggest that reduced pain perception in children and adolescents with ADHD not medicated with MPH may lead to higher risk tolerance by misjudgments of dangerous situations, expanding the importance of MPH administration in affected children and adolescents.
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Metadata
Title
Reduced pain perception in children and adolescents with ADHD is normalized by methylphenidate
Authors
Nicole Wolff
Katya Rubia
Hildtraud Knopf
Heike Hölling
Julia Martini
Stefan Ehrlich
Veit Roessner
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1753-2000
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-016-0112-9

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