scholarly journals The Relationship Between Physical Activity and Executive Function Performance in Children With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

2010 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 753-763 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Gapin ◽  
Jennifer L. Etnier
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Tower Of London ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Intensity Physical Activity ◽  
Vigorous Intensity ◽  
Planning Task ◽  
The Relationship

Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) consistently perform worse on executive function (EF) tasks relative to those without AD/HD. Physical activity has a small effect on cognition in children and may be particularly beneficial for children with AD/HD by impacting fundamental EF deficiencies that characterize this disorder. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which physical activity is associated with EF in children with AD/HD. Eighteen boys (M age = 10.61, SD = 1.50) with AD/HD were recruited to complete four EF tasks. Physical activity was measured with an accelerometer that provided daily minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity; this measure was a significant predictor of performance on the Tower of London planning task, adjusted R2 = .28, F(1, 16) = 7.61, p < .05, and was positively associated with other EF measures. These results suggest that higher physical activity is associated with better EF performance in AD/HD children.

scholarly journals Acute Physical Activity, Executive Function, and Attention Performance in Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Typically Developing Children: An Experimental Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 4071
Author(s):  
Martina Miklós ◽  
Dániel Komáromy ◽  
Judit Futó ◽  
Judit Balázs
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Error Rates ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Treatment Naïve ◽  
Attention Performance

A growing number of studies support the theory that physical activity can effectively foster the cognitive function of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The present study examines the effect of acute moderate physical activity on the executive functions and attention performance of (1) typically developing children (without psychological, psychiatric or neurological diagnosis and/or associated treatment stated in their medical history); (2) treatment-naïve ADHD children; and (3) medicated children with ADHD. In the current study, a total sample of 150 (50 non-medicated, 50 medicated, and 50 typically developing) children between the ages of 6 and 12 took part in the experiment. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI Kid) was used to measure ADHD and the child version of the Test of Attentional Performance (KiTAP) was applied to evaluate the children’s attentional and executive function performance before and after two types of intervention. In order to compare the effects of physical activity and control intervention, half of the children from each group (25 participants) took part in a 20-min long, moderately intense physical activity session on the 60–80% of their maximum heart rate, while watching a cartoon video. In the control condition, the other half of the children (25 participants) from each group watched the same cartoon video for 20 min while seated. Physical activity (compared to the just video watching control condition) had a significantly positive influence on 2 out of 15 measured parameters (median reaction time in the alertness task and error rates in the divided attention task) for the medicated group and on 2 out of the 15 measured variables (number of total errors and errors when distractor was presented, both in the distractibility task) regarding the treatment-naïve group. Future studies should focus on finding the optimal type, intensity, and duration of physical activity that could be a potential complementary intervention in treating deficits regarding ADHD in children.

scholarly journals Physical Activity Improves Mental Health in Children and Adolescents Irrespective of the Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)—A Multi-Wave Analysis Using Data from the KiGGS Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2207
Author(s):  
Parisa Ganjeh ◽  
Thomas Meyer ◽  
York Hagmayer ◽  
Ronny Kuhnert ◽  
Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
General Mental Health ◽  
Time Points ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Kiggs Study ◽  
The Relationship

Physical activity (PA) may have positive effects on mental health in children and adolescents. This post hoc study aimed to further investigate the relationship between different frequency levels of PA and general mental health as well as specific hyperactivity/inattention symptoms in children and adolescents. Methods: The analyses were based on data drawn from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS) study, a regularly conducted large-scale, epidemiological investigation of somatic and mental health of children and adolescents in Germany. Parents were asked about their children’s attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) records and answered questionnaires concerning any mental health problem behavior of the children and adolescents using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The overall problem score as well as the hyperactivity/inattention symptoms subscale (SDQ-H/I) were entered as outcomes in a regression model controlling for parental socio-economic status and participants’ sex, age, and body mass index (BMI). Cross-sectional analyses were conducted at three time points of the KiGGS study (baseline, wave 1, and wave 2) using general linear models (GLM). This was performed for different age groups (4–5, 6–9, 10–17 years). Results: Significant negative relationships were found between PA and general mental health problems. For the relationship between PA and SDQ-H/I, different patterns emerged at the three time points. There was no interaction between PA frequency levels and diagnosis of ADHD (ADHD vs. non-ADHD controls) regarding the SDQ total score. Conclusion: This study underlines the importance of a high frequency level of PA for a good mental health status among children and adolescents, irrespective of the diagnosis of ADHD.

Physical Fitness and Resting EEG in Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ching-Wen Huang ◽  
Chung-Ju Huang ◽  
Chiao-Ling Hung ◽  
Chia-Hao Shih ◽  
Tsung-Min Hung
Keyword(s):  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Children With Adhd ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Higher Power ◽  
Eyes Open ◽  
The Relationship

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are characterized by a deviant pattern of brain oscillations during resting state, particularly elevated theta power and increased theta/alpha and theta/beta ratios that are related to cognitive functioning. Physical fitness has been found beneficial to cognitive performance in a wide age population. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between physical fitness and resting-state electroencephalographic (EEG) oscillations in children with ADHD. EEG was recorded during eyes-open resting for 28 children (23 boys and 5 girls, 8.66 ± 1.10 years) with ADHD, and a battery of physical fitness assessments including flexibility, muscular endurance, power, and agility tests were administered. The results indicated that ADHD children with higher power fitness exhibited a smaller theta/alpha ratio than those with lower power fitness. These findings suggest that power fitness may be associated with improved attentional self-control in children with ADHD.

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