Background
The reported neuropsychological effects of methylphenidate (MPH) in attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) are inconsistent. The assumed relationships between these neuropsychological
effects and clinical efficacy have not been substantiated. We therefore investigated
the effects of chronic MPH administration on neuropsychological functioning.
Methods
We conducted a 12-week, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, randomized, crossover
trial (MPH .3 and .6 mg/kg/dose and placebo). Participants were 75 boys aged 7–15
years with ADHD. Neuropsychological performance was assessed with tests taken from
the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) battery and a GoNoGo
task.
Results
Chronic MPH improved performance (p < .001) on aspects of the GoNoGo task (p < .02) and on three CANTAB tasks which together contributed to a “recognition memory”
component identified through principal components analysis (delayed matching to sample
[DMtS], pattern and spatial recognition). There were no effects on other, high or
low “executive demand” tasks (p > .05). GoNoGo performance improvements were the only neuropsychopharmacological
changes associated with clinical response. Poor performance on the DMtS task was the
sole baseline neuropsychological predictor of clinical response.
Conclusions
Chronic MPH predominantly enhanced neuropsychological functioning on “recognition
memory” component tasks with modest “executive” demands. Neuropsychological measures
offer only modest contributions to the prediction of clinical responses to MPH in
ADHD.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 02, 2007
Accepted:
December 21,
2006
Received in revised form:
December 19,
2006
Received:
July 16,
2006
Identification
Copyright
© 2007 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
