Cited by 79Attention Deficit Hyperactivity DisorderNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorNeural and Behavioral Psychology Studies

The dopaminergic hypothesis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder needs re-examining

Gonon, Francois·2009·Trends in Neurosciences

Abstract

Although psychostimulants alleviate the core symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), recent studies confirm that their impact on the long-term outcomes of ADHD children is null. Psychostimulants enhance extracellular dopamine. Numerous review articles assert that they correct an underlying dopaminergic deficit of genetic origin. This dopamine-deficit theory of ADHD is often based upon an overly simplistic dopaminergic theory of reward. Here, I question the relevance of this theory regarding ADHD. I underline the weaknesses of the neurochemical, genetic, neuropharmacological and imaging data put forward to support the dopamine-deficit hypothesis of ADHD. Therefore, this hypothesis should not be put forward to bias ADHD management towards psychostimulants.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.tins.2008.09.010

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83 of 83 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Changes in dopaminergic signaling have long been implicated in ADHD.

    “Regarding the latter, changes in dopaminergic signaling have long been implicated in ADHD ( [48], but see [49])”

    From Linking ADHD to the Neural Circuitry of Attention (2017) · cites this paper as [49]

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Authors
Gonon, F.
Venue
Trends in Neurosciences
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2009-01
Volume
32
Issue
1
Pages
2-8
ISSN
0166-2236 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2140562663
Cited by
79
References
83
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 7
FWCI
0.77
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Trends in Neurosciences (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
Keywords
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, psychostimulants, extracellular dopamine, reward, neuropharmacology, neuroimaging, ADHD management
MeSH terms
Central Nervous System Stimulants, Animals, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Dopamine, Humans, Psychological Theory

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