Effect of one-month treatment with methylphenidate on salivary cortisol level of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder children

Abstract

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neuropsychological disorders that affects children, adolescents, and adults. Dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) has been implicated in its pathophysiology. So, this study aimed to compare the salivary cortisol level between ADHD children and healthy children. It also compared the salivary cortisol level of ADHD children before treatment and 1 month after treatment with methylphenidate. Results: This study showed that there was a statistically significant decrease in salivary cortisol level of the ADHD group, specifically hyperactive/impulsive subtype compared to the control group. Furthermore, it showed a statistically significant increase of salivary cortisol level after treatment compared to before treatment in the ADHD group. Conclusions: HPA axis dysfunction may be related to the pathophysiology of ADHD, specifically hyperactive/impulsive subtype. Methylphenidate positively affects the HPA axis of ADHD children.