Dose-related effect of methylphenidate on stopping and changing in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity
Marijn Lijffijt1, J Leon Kenemans, Annemiek ter Wal
1Department of Psychopharmacology, Utrecht University, Sorbonnelaan 16, 3584 CA Utrecht, The Netherlands. malijffi@utmb.edu
Purpose:
The effect of methylphenidate (MPH) on inhibitory control as assessed by the stop task in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) could be influenced by task difficulty and may be mediated by attention.
Subjects And Methods:
Fifteen children with ADHD performed the stop and the change task after placebo, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg MPH in a within-subject design.
Results:
Linear-trend analysis showed a similar effect of MPH in both tasks and a stronger effect for inhibitory control than for attention. Furthermore, a correlation was found between blood serum metabolites of norepinephrine and dopamine for attentional measures and inhibitory control measures, respectively.
Discussion And Conclusion:
In children with ADHD MPH could act primarily on inhibitory control, and is not influenced by task difficulty. Also, attention and inhibitory control could have differential pharmacological profiles.
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