The Amygdala's Neurochemical Ratios after 12 Weeks Administration of 20 mg Long-acting Methylphenidate in Children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder: A Pilot Study Using 1H Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

OBJECTIVE: Recent pediatric studies have suggested a correlation between decreased amygdala volume and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, including the emotional dysregulation. To investigate the hypothesis that medication treatment of ADHD specifically improves amygdala function, we used 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to study the effect of 12 weeks of treatment with daily 20 mg long-acting methylphenidate on the Glu/Cr, NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, and mI/Cr ratios in the amygdala of medication-naive children with ADHD. METHODS: This was a prospective study, using a pre- and post-test design, on a single group of 21 children (average age 8.52 years, 17 males and 4 females) diagnosed with ADHD. Low Time Echo MRS scans sampled voxels of interest (1.5x1.5x2.0) from both the right and left amygdala. RESULTS: There was significant clinical improvement after 12 weeks of treatment with 20 mg long-acting methylphenidate. On 1H MRS, there were no statistical significant differences of NAA/Cr ratio, Cho/Cr ratio, mI/Cr ratio before and after 12 weeks administration of 20 mg long-acting methylphenidate both in the right and left amygdala. In addition, Glu/Cr ratio decreased 14.1% in the right amygdala (p=0.029) and 11.4% in the left amygdala (p=0.008). Standardized mean effect sizes ranged from 0.14-0.32. CONCLUSION: The findings are consistent with the possibility that hyperglutamatergic processes in the amygdale are related to the hyperactive-impulsive symptoms of ADHD.

Executive Dysfunction among Children with Antipsychotic Treated Schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the executive function among adolescents with antipsychotic-treated schizophrenia in Child and Adolescent Outpatient Clinic at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Jakarta. METHODS: This was a cross sectional study with control group. Case was defined as adolescents with antipsychotic-treated schizophrenia without any mental retardation or other physical illnesses (n=45). The control group consisted of healthy and age-matched adolescents (n=135). Executive function is determined by using Indonesian version of Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF-Indonesian version). We used SPSS 16.0 program for windows to calculate the prevalence risk ratio (PRR) and set up the p value <0.05. RESULTS: Mean of age was 16.27 (standard deviation 1.86) year-old. Most of the case group (95%) has been treated with atypical antipsychotic such as risperidone, aripipripazole, olanzapine, and clozapine. Duration of having antipsychotic medication was ranged from one to 36 months. Adolescents with antipsychotic treated-schizophrenia had higher BRIEF T-score, except for inhibit scale, shift scale and behavior regulation index. The prevalence risk ratio on several clinical scales were higher in children with antipsychotic-treated schizophrenia compared to control group, such as on emotional state (PRR=7.43, 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.38-23.15), initiate scale (PRR=6.32, 95% CI=2.51-15.95), monitor scale (PRR=8.11, 95% CI=2.0-32.86), and behavior regulation index (PRR=4.09, 95% CI=1.05-15.98). CONCLUSION: In general, the results showed that adolescents with atypical antipsychotic treated-schizophrenia had higher BRIEF T-score compared, and comparable with their normal group control.

Learning Difficulties and Working Memory Deficits among Primary School Students in Jakarta, Indonesia

OBJECTIVE: There are multiple possible etiologies for learning difficulties in children. There is growing evidence that many students identified as having learning difficulties have significant working memory deficits. To determine, in a sample of primary school students in Jakarta, Indonesia, the prevalence of learning difficulties and learning difficulties co-morbid with working memory deficits. METHODS: Subjects (N=423) were recruited via proportional random sampling from 27 primary schools. The first stage was a cross-sectional study of these students, while the second stage was a case-control study comparing all students with learning difficulties and working memory deficits with controls matched by school type, grade level, and gender. RESULTS: Among the students, whose mean age was 9.34 years (1.78), 13.7% had a learning difficulty, while 8.04% had a learning difficulty with working memory deficit. The odds ratio of comorbid working memory deficit (in the face of a learning difficulty) was 7.0 (chi2= 35.96, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Learning difficulties and comorbid working memory deficits were relatively common among primary school students. Efforts should be made to identify these students and provide timely assistance, in order to optimize their educational success and mental health outcomes.