Methylphenidate Alters Functional Connectivity of Default Mode Network in Drug-Naive Male Adults With ADHD.

This study evaluated the hypothesis that methylphenidate immediate release (MPH-IR) treatment would improve Default Mode Network (DMN) within-connectivity. Resting-state functional connectivity of the main nodes of DMN was evaluated in a highly homogeneous sample of 18 drug-naive male adult participants with ADHD. Comparing resting-state functional connectivity functional magnetic resonance imaging (R-fMRI) scans before and after MPH treatment focusing exclusively on within-DMN connectivity, we evidenced the strengthening of functional connectivity between two nodes of the DMN: posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and left lateral parietal cortex (LLP). Our results contribute to the further understanding on how MPH affects functional connectivity within DMN of male adults with ADHD and corroborate the hypothesis of ADHD being a delayed neurodevelopmental disorder.