You are on page 1of 3

8/15/2016

SynergybetweenbehavioralandpharmacologicinterventionsforADHDScienceDaily

Yoursourceforthelatestresearchnews

Synergybetweenbehavioralandpharmacologicinterventionsfor
ADHD
Date:
Source:
Summary:

April6,2010
Elsevier
Attentiondeficit/hyperactivitydisorder(ADHD)isoneofthemostcommonmentalhealthdisorders
affectingchildrenandadolescents.ChildrenwithADHDareexcessivelyrestless,impulsive,and
distractibleandexperiencedifficultiesathomeandinschool.Problemsinhibitingbehaviorarea
commonthemeforADHDsymptoms.

FULLSTORY

Attentiondeficit/hyperactivitydisorder(ADHD)isoneofthemostcommonmentalhealth
disordersaffectingchildrenandadolescents.ChildrenwithADHDareexcessively
restless,impulsive,anddistractibleandexperiencedifficultiesathomeandinschool.
ProblemsinhibitingbehaviorareacommonthemeforADHDsymptoms.These
symptomsareusuallytreatedwithstimulantmedications,behavioralapproachesora
combinationofthetwo.
InanewstudyappearinginBiologicalPsychiatry,publishedbyElsevier,researcherscomparedchildrenwith
ADHDandtypicallydevelopingchildrenusingavideogametask,whichrequiredthemtofocustheirattention
andtocontrolimpulsiveactions.Thechildrenperformedthistaskunderthreedifferentmotivationalconditions,
andthechildrenwithADHDweretestedbothonandofftheirusualdoseofmedication.Thisallowedthe
researcherstocomparetheeffectsofbothmedicationandmotivationonthechildren'sresponseinhibition.
Dr.MadeleineGroom,correspondingauthorofthestudyandProfessorChrisHollis,principalinvestigator,
explainedtheirfindings:"WefoundthatbrainelectricalactivityinchildrenwithADHDwhenattendingtothetask
andrestrainingimpulsiveresponsesdifferedfromacomparisongroupofchildrenwithoutADHD,butbecame
moresimilarwhentheytookstimulantmedication.Intriguingly,rewardsandpenaltiesgiventoimprovetask
performancealsochangedbrainactivity,anddidsoinbothchildrenwithADHDandinthecontrolgroup,
althoughthesemotivationaleffectsweremuchsmallerthanthoseassociatedwithmedication."
ThesefindingssuggestthatstimulantmedicationtendstonormalizebrainfunctioninchildrenwithADHDand
enablesthemtobettermaintainattentionandrestrainimpulsiveresponses.Motivationalincentivesalsoseemto
playaroleinmodulatingsimilarneuralcircuitsandworkadditivelywithmedicationtoimproveperformancein
childrenwithADHD.
Dr.JohnKrystal,EditorofBiologicalPsychiatry,commentedthat"thefindingssuggestthattheremaybe
importantadditiveeffectsofstimulantmedicationsandbehavioralstrategiesforincreasingmotivationinADHD.
Theseinteractiveeffectsareimportanttobearinmindwhenoptimizingtheperformanceofchildreninschool
andothersettingsthatrequirecontrolofattentionandbehavior."
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100406125719.htm

1/3

8/15/2016

SynergybetweenbehavioralandpharmacologicinterventionsforADHDScienceDaily

StorySource:
TheabovepostisreprintedfrommaterialsprovidedbyElsevier.Note:Contentmaybeeditedforstyleand
length.

JournalReference:
1. Groometal.EffectsofMotivationandMedicationonElectrophysiologicalMarkersofResponse
InhibitioninChildrenwithAttentionDeficit/HyperactivityDisorder.BiologicalPsychiatry,201067(7):
624DOI:10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.09.029

CiteThisPage:

MLA

APA

Chicago

Elsevier."SynergybetweenbehavioralandpharmacologicinterventionsforADHD."ScienceDaily.ScienceDaily,
6April2010.<www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100406125719.htm>.

RecommendedArticles
BrainscansshowchildrenwithADHDhavefaultyoffswitchformindwandering
WellcomeTrust,ScienceDaily,2011
BehavioralincentivesmimiceffectsofmedicationonbrainsystemsinADHD
WellcomeTrust,ScienceDaily,2010
HowDoADHDMedicationsWork?
Elsevier,ScienceDaily,2013
Methylphenidate'normalizes'activationinkeybrainareasinkidswithADHD,studysuggests
WoltersKluwerHealth:LippincottWilliams&Wilkins,ScienceDaily,2013
NeuralprocessingdifferencesinADHDinindividualswithandwithoutprenatalalcoholexposure
Alcoholism:Clinical&ExperimentalResearch,ScienceDaily,2010
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100406125719.htm

2/3

8/15/2016

SynergybetweenbehavioralandpharmacologicinterventionsforADHDScienceDaily

ADHDCanBeDiagnosedInKidsFromAge4,SaysAmericanAcademyOfPediatrics
MedicalNewsToday,2011
ADHDcauseunlikelytobedopaminedysfunction
CatharinePaddockPhD,MedicalNewsToday,2013
EEGbrainwavetestshelpdiagnoseADHDsymptoms
MedicalNewsToday,2013
AutistictraitsinsomechildrenwithADHD
MedicalNewsToday,2013
LaterADHDMedsStartUnderminesMathScoresInKids
MedicalNewsToday,2012

Poweredby

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100406125719.htm

3/3

You might also like