Research

Tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives: a new perspective on monoaminergic dysfunction in children with ADHD?

Veit Roessner¹ , Susanne Walitza² , Franz Riederer³ , Regina Hünnerkopf² , Aribert Rothenberger¹ , Manfred Gerlach² and Andreas Moser⁴

¹Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany

²Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany

³Department of Clinical Neurology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

⁴Department of Neurology, University of Lubeck, Lubeck, Germany

author email corresponding author email

Behavioral and Brain Functions 2007, 3:64doi:10.1186/1744-9081-3-64

Published:	10 December 2007

Abstract

Background

The dopamine-derived tetrahydroisoquinolines (TIQ) synthesized endogeneously from aldehydes and catecholamines have shown to modulate neurotransmission, central metabolism and motor activity. Converging evidence has implicated abnormalities of the dopamine metabolism to the pathophysiology of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Therefore, four TIQ derivatives involved in central dopamine metabolism (salsolinol, N-methyl-salsolinol, norsalsolinol, N-methyl-norsalsolinol) have been analyzed for the first time in children and adolescents with ADHD and healthy controls.

Methods

42 children and adolescents with ADHD and 24 controls from three sites participated in this pilot study. Free and bound amounts of salsolinol, N-methyl-salsolinol, norsalsolinol, N-methyl-norsalsolinol have been analyzed in urine.

Results

In the ADHD group, free and total amounts of the four TIQ derivatives in urine were significantly higher compared to urine levels of healthy controls. For N-methyl-salsolinol_free, most of the ADHD patients were identified correctly with a sensitivity of 92.5% (specificity 94.4%).

Conclusion

Urine levels of salsolinol, N-methyl-salsolinol, norsalsolinol and N-methyl-norsalsolinol are elevated in children and adolescents with ADHD and point to a new perspective on catecholaminergic dysfunction in ADHD. However, replication and extension of this pilot study would progress this innovative and promising field.