The Effect of Dietary Tartrazine on Brain Dopamine and the Behavioral Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

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Date
2016-05Author
Bloom, Shoshana
Chiang, Kevin
Demehri, Sharlene
Kreshpanji, Sara
McCaffrey, Erin
Patel, Karishma
Sebastian, Tracy
Shan, Salwa
Sukri, Leah
Advisor
Castonguay, Thomas W.
DRUM DOI
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Show full item recordAbstract
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder
correlated with a decrease in brain dopamine and an increase in behavioral symptoms
of hyperactivity and impulsivity. This experiment explored how tartrazine (Yellow
#5) impacts these symptoms. After tartrazine administration to Spontaneously
Hypertensive Rats (SHR), dopamine concentrations in regions of brain tissue were
measured using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay analysis. Behavioral testing
with a T-maze and open field test measured impulsivity and hyperactivity,
respectively. Results indicate that dietary tartrazine increases hyperactive behaviors in
the SHR. However, results do not indicate a relationship between dietary tartrazine
and brain dopamine. No conclusions regarding the relationship between dietary
tartrazine and impulsivity were drawn.