Relative Efficacy of Long-Acting Stimulants on Children With Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder: A Comparison of Standard Methylphenidate, Sustained-Release Methylphenidate, Sustained-Release Dextroamphetamine, and Pemoline

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Pelham ◽  
Karen E. Greenslade ◽  
Mary Vodde-Hamilton ◽  
Debra A. Murphy ◽  
Jonathan J. Greenstein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Sustained Release ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Stimulant Medication ◽  
Continuous Performance ◽  
Continuous Performance Task ◽  
Performance Task ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Long Acting

Twenty-two children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder underwent a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover evaluation of the efficacy of standard methylphenidate twice a day and comparable doses every morning of a sustained-release preparation of methylphenidate (SR-20 Ritalin), a sustained-release form of dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine Spansule), and pemoline. The children were participating in a summer treatment program in which they engaged in recreational and classroom activities. Dependent measures include evaluations of social behavior during group recreational activities, classroom performance, and performance on a continuous performance task. Results revealed generally equivalent and beneficial effects of all four medications. Dexedrine Spansule and pemoline tended to produce the most consistent effects and were recommended for 10 of the 15 children who were responders to medication. The continuous performance task results showed that all four medications had an effect within 2 hours of ingestion, and the effects lasted for 9 hours. The implications of these results for the use of long-acting stimulant medication in children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder are discussed.

Sustained Attention and Grade Retention

1994 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 555-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Gordon ◽  
Barbara B. Mettelman ◽  
Martin Irwin
Keyword(s):  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Sustained Attention ◽  
Grade Retention ◽  
Academic Failure ◽  
Academic Careers ◽  
Continuous Performance ◽  
Continuous Performance Task ◽  
Performance Task ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
History Of

Two studies are reported which explore the possible relationship between academic failure, as measured by grade retention, and the capacity to sustain attention on a computerized continuous performance task. In a nonreferred sample, 89 children who had been retained at some point in their academic careers showed a higher frequency of abnormal scores on an index of sustained attention than did 93 children who had never repeated a grade. In a sample of children who had been referred for an evaluation of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, children with a history of grade retention had significantly lower scores on the same measure of sustained attention. Results are discussed in terms of the possible contribution of attention deficits to over-all academic achievement, even for children who have not necessarily been referred for a clinical evaluation.

Response to Stimulant Medication across Six Measures of School-Related Performance in Children with ADHD and Disruptive Behavior

1992 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven R. Forness ◽  
James M. Swanson ◽  
Dennis P. Cantwell ◽  
Donald Guthrie ◽  
Rhonda Sena
Keyword(s):  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Classroom Management ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Stimulant Medication ◽  
Dosage Level ◽  
Social Progress ◽  
Response To Treatment ◽  
Child Behaviors ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder display disruptive behavioral disorders that tend to interfere with academic and social progress and that may respond only partially to classroom management and motivational approaches. Although stimulant medication is seen as a necessary adjunct to treatment in many cases, measurement of response to such treatment is often quite problematic. The present study provides findings on response to treatment with methylphenidate (Ritalin) across six measures of cognitive, academic, and social functioning in 71 boys, ages 7 to 11 years, with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Optimal response to this drug was determined in double-blind, placebo, crossover trials, and measurement of response focused on procedures similar to those in actual practice. Response ranged from approximately 18 to 71% across the six measures, suggesting that whether a child can be considered a responder to methylphenidate depends greatly on choice of outcome measure. A clinically therapeutic dosage level for each subject was also used to examine dose effects, and factor analytic results suggest that three of the six measures appeared to tap child behaviors quite different from those measured by traditional means.

scholarly journals Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Pediatric Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Descriptive Review

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Russell Searight ◽  
Kayla Robertson ◽  
Todd Smith ◽  
Scott Perkins ◽  
Barbara K. Searight
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Mindfulness Meditation ◽  
Stimulant Medication ◽  
Pediatric Population ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), characterized by impulsivity, distractibility, and inattention, has an estimated pediatric population prevalence of 6–8%. Family physicians and pediatricians evaluate and treat the majority of children with this condition. The evidence-based treatment of choice for ADHD, stimulant medication, continues to be a source of public controversy. Surveys suggest that among parents of children with ADHD, there is considerable interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). These therapies include herbal preparations, mineral supplements, sugar restriction, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Other AD/HD therapies include neuro-feedback, cognitive training, mindfulness meditation, and exposure to “green space.” In order to assist physicians and mental health professionals in responding to patient and parent queries, this paper briefly describes these CAM therapies and current research regarding their effectiveness. While investigations in this area are hampered by research design issues such as sample size and the absence of double-blind placebo-controlled trials, there is some evidence that omega three fatty acids, zinc supplements, and neuro-feedback may have some efficacy.

Event- and Motor-Related Potentials During the Continuous Performance Task in Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

2002 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gudrun Sartory ◽  
Arnfried Heine ◽  
Bernhard W. Müller ◽  
Angela Elvermann-Hallner
Keyword(s):  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Performance Test ◽  
Continuous Performance Test ◽  
Healthy Children ◽  
Continuous Performance ◽  
Continuous Performance Task ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Adhd Children ◽  
Related Potentials

Abstract Contingent negative variation (CNV) and evoked potentials were recorded during the continuous performance test in 20 children (aged 7 to 12) with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and in 19 age-matched healthy children. A series of letters were displayed every 2.1 s and a button had to be pressed whenever the letter O was followed by an X. Children were also given neuropsychological tests and questionnaires assessing anxiety and depression. Unlike ADHD children, healthy children showed a more pronounced CNV after the cue - the letter O - than after the distractors. At Fz, CNV negativity was significantly correlated with IQ and executive function. Control children also exhibited a higher parietal N375 post S1 - likely to be associated with letter processing - and a higher N550 amplitude at Fz than ADHD children post S1 and S2; both groups showed a higher N550 amplitude whenever X followed non-O or O was followed by non-X. This component appears to be involved in decision-making processes regarding the initiation or inhibition of movement. ADHD children had a faster reaction time but made more errors of omission and commission. Results suggest that ADHD children show deficits in both stimulus processing and response execution.

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