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news.A new study by Eli Lilly has shown that once-daily treatment with atomoxetine, approved for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, can reduce core symptoms in children and is sustained for up to 24 hours.
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This is the second placebo-controlled study to produce findings suggesting that atomoxetine is effective in providing continuous symptom relief in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The study involved 288 children aged between six and 12. Researchers observed a significant improvement in the children’s behavior whether the treatment was administered in the morning or the evening.
“Atomoxetine’s ability to control symptoms of ADHD demonstrated in this study for up to 24 hours provides physicians with a flexible option for treating ADHD in children,” said Humberto Quintana, associate professor of psychiatry, Louisiana State University School of Medicine at New Orleans, and a lead investigator on the study.
Atomoxetine, a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, is approved to treat ADHD in children aged six and over, adolescents, and adults. It is not known precisely how atomoxetine reduces ADHD symptoms, but scientists believe it works by blocking or slowing reabsorption of norepinephrine, a chemical in the brain considered important in regulating attention, impulsivity and activity levels.
This keeps more norepinephrine at work in the spaces between neurons in the brain. Improved efficiency in the norepinephrine system has been associated with improvement in symptoms of ADHD.