CEREBRAL GLUCOSE-METABOLISM IN ADOLESCENT GIRLS WITH ATTENTION-DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER/

Objective: Low cerebral metabolic rates for glucose (CMRglc) have been reported in a small sample of girls with attention-deficit/hyperactiv ity disorder (ADHD). This study was an effort to replicate this findin g in a larger independent sample. Method: Using positron emission tomo graphy and [F-18]fluorodeoxyglucose, CMRglc were compared between 10 g irls with ADHD (14.10 +/- 1.91 years) and 11 normal girls (14.3 +/- 1. 70 years). Results: Global CMRglc was similar between ADHD and control girls. Lateralization of normalized CMRglc differed significantly bet ween ADHD and control girls in parietal and subcortical regions, with rCMRglc lower on the left than on the right side in girls with ADHD, a nd conversely in control girls. The sylvian area of the parietal regio n and the anterior putamen of the subcortical region were the main con tributors to this effect. Normalized rCMRglc of the hippocampus was hi gher in ADHD than in control girls. Sexual maturation was the only cli nical characteristic that differed between present and previous sample s, and it correlated with global CMRglc. Conclusions: Although failing to confirm abnormally low CMRglc in girls with ADHD, this study sugge sted that (1) functional interactions between sex and brain developmen t may contribute to ADHD pathophysiology, and (2) sexual maturation sh ould be controlled in future CMRglc studies of adolescent girls.