Brain Dopamine Function in Adults With ADHD

Inclusion criteria

• Must give informed consent
• Must be between the ages of 18 and 45 years old.
• Must have a confirmed diagnosis of ADHD
• Must have scored on a rating scale that indicate a significant level of symptom severity.
• Must have a childhood history of ADHD must be documented using established test criteria.
• Must have had no previous medication treatment for ADHD except for a short term treatment period of less than three months, which should have occurred at least six months prior to the study.
• Must have an interest in receiving long-term medication treatment for ADHD.

Exclusion criteria

• Must not test positive for psychoactive drugs during a urine drug screen.
• Must not be pregnant.
• Must not be breastfeeding.
• Must have no past or present history of dependence on alcohol or other drugs of abuse except nicotine or caffeine.
• Must have no past or present history of a psychiatric disorder except ADHD.
• Must have no medical illness that may affect brain function.
• Must not have taken medication that may affect brain function.
• Must not have had head trauma with loss of consciousness (> 30 minutes).
• Must not have significant anxiety or depression as determined by an established test.
• Must have no history of a significant learning disability.
• Must have no history of cardiovascular or endocrinological disease.
• Must have no history of coagulation disorder.
• Must have no history of sensitivity to lidocaine and/or prilocaine.
• Must have no history of claustrophobia.
• Contraindication to MRI environment (presence of any implanted metallic objects such as cardiac/neural pacemakers, defibrillators, aneurysm clips, certain heart valves, spinal nerve stimulators, artificial joints/limbs, shrapnel/bullets, metal fragments in their eyes, cochlear implants, hearing aids, dental implants).
• Must have no history of glaucoma.