Conditions: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Keywords: ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Vyvanse Lisdexamfetamine
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 6
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The purpose of this study is to identify the effects of lisdexamfetamine (LDX) on the neural and behavioral subcomponents of self-control, that is cognitive control and reward functioning, in adolescents and young adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

The investigators hypothesize that LDX is associated with 1a) decreased task-independent locus coeruleus (LC) activity; 1b) increased task-related activity in LC and the cognitive control network; 2) increased LC connectivity with the cognitive control network and 3) improved task performance and self-control. The investigators will test their hypotheses on fMRI data with linear contrasts of voxel-wise maps of parameter estimates (in both univariate and connectivity analyses).

The investigators will also assess change in brain activity with the LDX in the LC and ventral tegmental areas (VTA) as we hypothesize that they are altered in ADHD and related to cognitive control and self-control dysfunction in ADHD.

The investigators will use a repeated-measures, between-subject design to compare the effects of oral once daily LDX in a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial (RCT) on neural (fMRI) and behavioral correlates of cognitive control via a working memory and a reward - delay discounting task in adolescents and young adults.

A new condition has been added which will use a within-subject comparison, cross-over design between a single dose of LDX versus a single dose of placebo.

Detailed description:

Arms:
arm 1: Participants may be randomized into the placebo comparator arm. Participants in this group will be given a sugar pill titrated up to 70 mg daily over the course of 9 weeks.

Drug: Placebo arm 2: Participants may be randomized into the experimental arm. Participants in this arm will be given lisdexamfetamine titrated up to 70 mg daily over the course of 9 weeks.

Drug: Lisdexamfetamine

Interventions: intervention 1: Lisdexamfetamine
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Participants will be given either the study drug or placebo in tablet form. All participants will start with a 20 mg dose and will be titrated up to a 70 mg daily dose over 9 weeks. Participants between 12-18 years of age will be titrated in 10 mg increments and participants between 18-25 years of age in 10-20 mg increments.

Protocol document: