Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, combined type: better executive function performance with longer-term psychostimulant medication.

Alasdair L A Vance; Paul Maruff; Rebecca Barnett

doi:10.1046/j.1440-1614.2003.01238.x

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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, combined type: better executive function performance with longer-term psychostimulant medication.

Alasdair L A Vance·Paul Maruff·Rebecca Barnett

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Executive function deficits are evident in primary school-age children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, combined type (ADHD-CT) and are possibly improved by longer-term psychostimulant medication. In contrast, a substantial subgroup of children with ADHD-CT become symptomatic despite longer-term psychostimulant medication use. We investigated the hypothesis that better executive function performance is associated with the use of longer-term psychostimulant medication in primary school-age children with ADHD-CT who are again symptomatic of ADHD-CT, despite its use. METHOD: A cross-sectional study of 40 primary school-age psychostimulant medication-naïve children with ADHD-CT, 26 with symptomatic ADHD-CT and treated with psychostimulant medication, and 26 control children without ADHD-CT was conducted. Nonverbal tasks of executive function were compared across the three groups. RESULTS: The longer-term psychostimulant medication-treated group had a better executive function performance, despite being symptomatic for ADHD-CT, than the psychostimulant medication-naïve group. CONCLUSION: Improved executive function may be a marker of psychostimulant medication effect in children with ADHD-CT treated in the longer term. This improvement may not correlate with that of the ADHD-CT symptoms. Longitudinal studies are required.

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Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity Central Nervous System Stimulants Child Cognition Disorders Cross-Sectional Studies Dextroamphetamine Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Female Humans Male Methylphenidate Severity of Illness Index Time Factors Wechsler Scales Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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Alasdair L A Vance, Paul Maruff, Rebecca Barnett. 2003. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, combined type: better executive function performance with longer-term psychostimulant medication.. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1440-1614.2003.01238.x

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