Methylphenidate Reduces State Anxiety During a Continuous Performance Test That Distinguishes Adult ADHD Patients
Yuval Bloch1,2, Shai Aviram1,2,3, Aviv Segev1
11 Shalvata Mental Health Care Center, Hod-Hasharon, Israel.
Objective:
We hypothesized that patients with ADHD were typified by distress more than by functional difficulties. Thus, a decline in state anxiety while performing a cognitive task when taking methylphenidate would discriminate between ADHD patients and controls.
Method:
State anxiety and cognitive performance on a continuous performance test were assessed in ADHD patients and controls with and without taking methylphenidate.
Results:
State anxiety and cognitive performance improved from baseline in 36 ADHD adults after taking methylphenidate. In 25 controls, cognitive performance improved, but state anxiety did not abate after a recess. In two additional studies, 5 controls were evaluated at baseline and after receiving methylphenidate, and showed improvement in cognitive assessment but not in state anxiety. Five ADHD adults were assessed at baseline and after a recess, and showed no improvement.
Conclusion:
Our results support the hypothesis that adult ADHD patients are characterized by distress and the relief of this distress under effective therapy as expressed by a decline in state anxiety while they perform a cognitive task.
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