Investigating Acetylcholine Receptors in People with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects approximately 2% of the adult population. While stimulant medications effectively manage ADHD symptoms, their efficacy is diminished for improving long-term functional impairments. Therefore a pressing need remains to address cognitive deficits that underpin functional impairments in ADHD. β2* containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in brain are critically involved in working memory and executive function. These receptors have been proposed as targets for medications treating cognitive deficits in ADHD, but the relationship of β2*-nAChRs with cognitive impairments in ADHD remains unknown in people. We propose to close this knowledge gap by using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to determine the relationship of β2*-nAChR levels in adults with ADHD with cognitive function. The findings will advance the field by establishing cholinergic treatment targets for ADHD with potential for improved efficacy for cognitive deficits that contribute to under-addressed functional impairments. This project is funded by the Brain Behavior and Research Foundation (PI: Hillmer).