Efectos del tratamiento farmacológico estimulante sobre los patrones de actividad circadiana en niños con trastorno por déficit de atención/hiperactividad

Introduction. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders in childhood. The nuclear symptoms of ADHD are treated with stimulant medication such as methylphenidate; however, there's a lot of controversy regarding its side effects. Aims. To analyse the activity patterns in children with ADHD during a period of 24 hours for seven days, before and after taking pharmacological treatment with stimulants (methylphenidate) and observe the differences between the different presentations of ADHD (inattentive and combined subtype). Patients and methods. A total of 30 children and adolescents (newly diagnosed with ADHD according to DSM-IV). Analyses were carried out through actigraphy, an instrument that allows us to monitor body movements by analysing movement patterns and differences between sleep and wakefulness. Results. There were significant differences before and after treatment showing higher activity levels in patients with ADHD before treatment, and a decrease in this situation after taking pharmacological treatment. There are also differences between inattentive and combined subtype, showing the last group, higher activity levels. Conclusions. The level of activation presented by ADHD subjects is higher before taking stimulant treatment, influencing circadian patterns, sleep and quality of life. Pharmacological treatments help to decrease the level of activation.