Urinary phenethylamine (PEA), an endogenous amine similar to amphetamine
in both molecular structure and pharmacological properties, was studied in
12 boys with attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity. d-Amphetamine
and placebo were given for 14 days each in a counterbalanced crossover
design; double-blind teacher behavior ratings and motor activity
measurements were also obtained. Excretion of PEA, phenylacetic acid,
creatinine, and d-amphetamine were measured. PEA was significantly
increased and phenylacetic acid was unchanged after d-amphetamine
administration, and change in PEA excretion correlated significantly with
d-amphetamine excretion. There was no significant relationship between
either clinical response to drug and change in PEA or phenylacetic acid
excretion.
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