Prolonged P300 latency in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder predicts poor response to imipramine.

P300 is a cognitive evoked potential that evaluates attention and information processing. This study uses auditory and visual P300 topography to develop a classification of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and find predictors of treatment response. Of 45 ADHD children ages 6 to 15 treated with pemoline in a previous study, 25 were poor responders. Of these 25, 17 participated in an imipramine treatment protocol. Auditory and visual P300 testing was performed before and after treatment using 31 scalp electrodes. Good and poor responders to imipramine were clinically identical. Poor imipramine responders had longer auditory and visual P300 latencies than good responders. Treatment with imipramine decreased auditory P300 latencies and increased auditory P300 amplitudes. We have previously reported that ADHD patients with small right frontocentral auditory P300 amplitudes respond poorly to pemoline. Thus, P300 topography and latency classifies ADHD into three groups: group 1 with normal P300 topography, and good response to pemoline; group 2 with small right frontocentral auditory P300 amplitudes, poor response to pemoline, and good response to imipramine; and group 3 with long auditory and visual P300 latencies and small right frontocentral auditory P300 amplitudes, and poor response to pemoline and imipramine.