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01-08-2016 | Psychiatry and Preclinical Psychiatric Studies - Original Article

Methylphenidate and emotional-motivational processing in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Authors: Annette Conzelmann, Eva Woidich, Ronald F. Mucha, Peter Weyers, Mathias Müller, Klaus-Peter Lesch, Christian P. Jacob, Paul Pauli

Published in: Journal of Neural Transmission | Issue 8/2016

Abstract

In line with the assumption that emotional–motivational deficits are one core dysfunction in ADHD, in one of our previous studies we observed a reduced reactivity towards pleasant pictures in adult ADHD patients as compared to controls. This was indicated by a lack of attenuation of the startle reflex specifically during pleasant pictures in ADHD patients. The first choice medical agents in ADHD, methylphenidate (MPH), is discussed to normalize these dysfunctions. However, experimental evidence in the sense of double-blind placebo-controlled study designs is lacking. Therefore, we investigated 61 adult ADHD patients twice, one time with placebo and one time with MPH with the same experimental design as in our study previously and assessed emotion processing during the presentation of pleasant, neutral and unpleasant pictures. We obtained startle reflex data as well as valence and arousal ratings in association with the pictures. As previously shown, ADHD patients showed a diminished startle attenuation during pleasant pictures while startle potentiation during unpleasant pictures was normal. Valence and arousal ratings unsuspiciously increased with increasing pleasantness and arousal of the pictures, respectively. There were no significant influences of MPH. The study replicates that ADHD patients show a reduced reactivity towards pleasant stimuli. MPH did not normalize this dysfunction. Possibly, MPH only influences emotions during more complex behavioural tasks that involve executive functions in adults with ADHD. Our results emphasize the importance for the use of double-blind placebo-controlled designs in psychopharmacological research.

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Title: Methylphenidate and emotional-motivational processing in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Annette Conzelmann
Eva Woidich
Ronald F. Mucha
Peter Weyers
Mathias Müller
Klaus-Peter Lesch
Christian P. Jacob
Paul Pauli
Publication date: 01-08-2016
Publisher: Springer Vienna
Published in: Journal of Neural Transmission / Issue 8/2016
Print ISSN: 0300-9564
Electronic ISSN: 1435-1463
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-016-1512-y

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Methylphenidate and emotional-motivational processing in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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