Comparison of Therapeutic Effects of Omega-3 and Methylphenidate (Ritalin®) in Treating Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Naser Dashti; Hoda Hekmat; Hamid Reza Soltani; Abolghasem Rahimdel; Mohammad Javaherchian

IJ Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

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Comparison of Therapeutic Effects of Omega-3 and Methylphenidate (Ritalin®) in Treating Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Author(s):

Naser Dashti¹,

Hoda Hekmat²,

Hamid Reza Soltani^3,*,

Abolghasem Rahimdel⁴,

Mohammad Javaherchian⁵

1Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yazd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Yazd, Iran

2Department of General Surgery, School of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran

3Ali Eben Abitaleb Medical School, Islamic Azad University, Safaeiyeh, Yazd, Iran

4Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran

5School of Medicine, Yazd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Yazd, Iran

IJ Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences:Vol. 8, issue 4; 7-11

Published online:Dec 30, 2014

Article type:Research Article

Received:Aug 12, 2013

Accepted:May 06, 2014

How to Cite:Naser DashtiHoda HekmatHamid Reza SoltaniAbolghasem Rahimdel Mohammad JavaherchianComparison of Therapeutic Effects of Omega-3 and Methylphenidate (Ritalin®) in Treating Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.Iran J Psychiatry Behav Sci.8(4):7-11.

Abstract

Objective: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a fixed pattern of disregard and hyperactivity that is much more severe than what is normal in children of the same age. Multiple drugs are used for the treatment of children with ADHD; however, their side effects and efficacy are not clearly known. This study was designed to evaluate and compare the therapeutic effects of two drugs, that is, omega-3 and methylphenidate hydrochloride (Ritalin® ), used to treat patients with ADHD.

Methods:In a randomized, placebo control clinical trial in Yazd, Iran, 85 ADHD children were divided into two experimental and one control groups. Thus, 29 subjects were treated with Ritalin® , 28 subjects received omega-3, and the remaining 28 received placebo. The data collection tools used in this study consisted of the Conners' Parent Rating Scale and Teacher Rating Scale. The scores obtained from these questionnaires were analyzed using chi-square test and paired t-test in PASW Statistics.

Results: The average age of the population was 8.22 (± 1.65) years. Significant associations were observed between Ritalin® therapy and the changes before and after the treatment, and the omega-3 treatment and the changes before and after treatment (p < 0.001). There was no significant association between the placebo group and the changes before and after the treatment (p > 0.050). Omega-3 had considerable efficacy as well as Ritalin® (P = 0.001).

Conclusions: More attention should be given to screening, prevention, and treatment with omega-3 and its effective role in the development of the brain and mental health, and increasing children's attention span and thinking ability.

Declaration of interest: None.

Clinical Trial Registration-URL: http://www.irct.ir. IRCT Code: IRCT201304035393N3.

Citation: Dashti N, Hekmat H, Soltani HR, Rahimdel A, Javaherchian M. Comparison of therapeutic effects of omega-3 and methylphenidate (Ritalin® ) in treating children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Iran J Psychiatry Behav Sci 2014; 8(4): 7-11.

Keywords

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Methylphenidate

Omega-3

Ritalin

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