NCT00856063

Autonomic Correlates of Impulsivity for Preschool Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Feasibility and Utility of Autonomic Correlates of Impulsivity in Preschool Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Extending Translational Research Skills

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 4
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 5 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Arizona · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 48 Months – 70 Months
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of this pilot feasibility and utility study is to develop and validate a method that is reproducible over time for assessing biobehavioral and autonomic markers of impulsivity and their utility in assessing treatment outcome in preschool children with ADHD.

Detailed description

Assessing biological markers of ADHD among preschoolers has the potential to elucidate biology-environment interactions, which may have important implications for treatment, and for our understanding of the etiology of ADHD. Although impulsivity is highly heritable, long-term changes in biological systems implicated in impulsive behavior can be effected through intervention as shown by a 61% increase in electrodermal activity 6-8 years later in at-risk preschool children who were randomized to the intervention condition compared with controls randomized to no treatment condition. Early intervention may therefore be essential if dysregulated trajectories in responding within these systems are to be prevented and/or altered. Atomoxetine (ATMX) blocks the NE transporter (NET), and increases extracellular levels of NE throughout the brain. It is the first nonstimulant drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of ADHD. Recent clinical studies have shown that ATMX significantly reduces symptoms of ADHD as observed by parents and teachers. ATMX has been shown to improve response inhibition in ADHD. In the proposed research, pre- and post-treatment bio-behavioral and autonomic markers of impulsivity will be assessed in preschool children with ADHD who participate in a double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover treatment with a selective NET inhibitor, atomoxetine, and placebo.

Conditions

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	atomoxetine (or placebo)	Each child will be randomized to receive either ATMX or placebo in the 1st crossover phase followed by the alternative drug condition in the 2nd crossover phase. The study drug (ATMX or placebo) will be administered BID and will be titrated blindly based on clinical response and tolerability. ATMX will be initiated at 0.5 mg/kg/day for 3 days. Based on clinical response, ATMX dose will be titrated to 0.8 mg/kg/day during week 1, 1.4 mg/kg/day during week 2, and a maximum of 1.8 mg/kg/day during week 3, unless serious untoward effects intervene.

Timeline

• Start date: 2009-03-01
• Primary completion: 2009-12-01
• Completion: 2009-12-01
• First posted: 2009-03-05
• Last updated: 2012-07-09