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Effect of psychostimulant medications on physical function in children with cerebral palsy: scoping review

Anwar B Almutairi1, Naif Z Alrashdi2, Laura Vogtle3

  • 1Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health, Kuwait University, Jabriya, Kuwait. almutairi.anwar@ku.edu.kw.

Pediatric Research
|December 9, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Central nervous system (CNS) stimulants like Modafinil show limited, low-quality evidence for improving physical function in children with cerebral palsy (CP). More research is needed to confirm effects on spasticity and gait.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Rehabilitation Medicine
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders affecting movement and posture, often impacting physical function.
  • Central nervous system (CNS) stimulant medications are sometimes considered for neurological conditions, but their role in CP is not well-defined.
  • Understanding the effects of CNS stimulants on physical function in children with CP is crucial for treatment development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct a scoping review of the literature on the effects of CNS stimulant medications on physical function in children with CP.
  • To assess the extent and depth of research available on this topic.
  • To identify specific CNS stimulants and their reported impacts on physical function outcomes in pediatric CP.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic literature search of major databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, SPORTDiscus, Embase, Scopus) from January 2002 to August 2022.
  • Inclusion criteria focused on studies examining CNS stimulants' effects on physical function in children diagnosed with CP.
  • Analysis of four selected peer-reviewed studies, all investigating Modafinil.

Main Results:

  • Three of the four included studies reported positive effects of Modafinil on spasticity, motor performance, and gait in children with CP.
  • One study found no significant effects of Modafinil on the assessed physical function outcomes.
  • The overall evidence quality regarding Modafinil's impact on physical function in pediatric CP was determined to be very low.

Conclusions:

  • The current evidence suggests Modafinil may offer some physical benefits, including reduced spasticity and improved gait parameters in children with CP, but this is based on very limited and inconsistent data.
  • The available research on CNS stimulants for physical function in pediatric cerebral palsy is sparse and inconclusive.
  • Further high-quality research is warranted to definitively establish the efficacy and safety of CNS stimulants for managing physical function deficits in children with CP.

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