Effects of a selected exercise programon executive function of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Does EEG-neurofeedback improve neurocognitive functioning in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder? A systematic review and a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Effect of acute exercise on executive function in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Acute Physical Activity Enhances Executive Functions in Children with ADHD Preliminary data suggesting the efficacy of attention training for school-aged children with ADHD Executive functioning in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: combined type with and without a stimulant medication history. In-School Neurofeedback Training for ADHD: Sustained Improvements From a Randomized Control Trial A longitudinal examination of neuropsychological and clinical functioning in boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): improvements in executive functioning do not explain clinical improvement. Executive function and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: stimulant medication and better executive function performance in children. Educational and occupational outcome of hyperactive boys grown up. A context for normalizing impulsiveness at work for adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (combined type). A Pilot Study of the Efficacy of a Computerized Executive Functioning Remediation Training With Game Elements for Children With ADHD in an Outpatient Setting Neurofeedback and Cognitive Attention Training for Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Schools Improving Executive Functioning in Children with ADHD: Training Multiple Executive Functions within the Context of a Computer Game. A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Trial ADHD among young adults born at extremely low birth weight: the role of fluid intelligence in childhood Slow oscillating transcranial direct current stimulation during non-rapid eye movement sleep improves behavioral inhibition in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder A Randomized Controlled Trial Investigating the Effects of Neurofeedback, Methylphenidate, and Physical Activity on Event-Related Potentials in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Computer-Based Attention Training in the Schools for Children With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Preliminary Trial The effect of a single aerobic training session on cognitive flexibility in late middle-aged adults. Working memory training in young children with ADHD: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Developmental course of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and its predictors. Methylphenidate and if-then plans are comparable in modulating the P300 and increasing response inhibition in children with ADHD Driving in young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: knowledge, performance, adverse outcomes, and the role of executive functioning.
Introduction . The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a Selected exercise program on the executive function of children with ADHD . Method . The participants were 40 male students , aged 7 - 11 years . The participants were r and omly assigned into two groups ( experimental and control ) . The experimental group participated in an exercise program for 24 sessions , 90 minutes per session . The control group did not receive any intervention . Before and after the exercise period , all the participants were assessed with Stroop and Go-No-Go tests , and the result ing data were analyzed by using MANCOVA . Result . The results showed that the cognitive inhibition of the children in the experimental group was significantly different compared with the control group ( p < 0.05 ) . Additionally , there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the behavioral inhibition ( p < 0.05 ) . Conclusion . An organized physical activity helps to improve the executive function in children with ADHD BACKGROUND The number of placebo-controlled r and omized studies relating to EEG-neurofeedback and its effect on neurocognition in attention-deficient/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) is limited . For this reason , a double blind , r and omized , placebo-controlled study was design ed to assess the effects of  EEG-neurofeedback  on neurocognitive functioning in children with ADHD , and a systematic review on this topic was performed . METHODS Forty-one children ( 8 - 15 years ) with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of ADHD were r and omly allocated to EEG-neurofeedback or placebo-neurofeedback treatment for 30 sessions , twice a week . Children were stratified by age , electrophysiological state of arousal , and medication use . Neurocognitive tests of attention , executive functioning , working memory , and time processing were administered before and after treatment . Research ers , teachers , children and their parents , with the exception of the neurofeedback-therapist , were all blind to treatment assignment . Outcome measures were the changes in neurocognitive performance before and after treatment . CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION www . clinical trials.gov : NCT00723684 . RESULTS No significant treatment effect on any of the neurocognitive variables was found . A systematic review of the current literature also did not find any systematic beneficial effect of EEG-neurofeedback on neurocognitive functioning . CONCLUSION Overall , the existing literature and this study fail to support any benefit of neurofeedback on neurocognitive functioning in ADHD , possibly due to small sample sizes and other study limitations This study was conducted to determine the effect of acute aerobic exercise on executive function in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . Forty children with ADHD were r and omly assigned into exercise or control groups . Participants in the exercise group performed a moderate intensity aerobic exercise for 30 min , whereas the control group watched a running/exercise-related video .  Neuropsychological tasks , the Stroop Test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ( WCST ) , were assessed before and after each treatment . The results indicated that acute exercise facilitated performance in the Stroop Test , particularly in the Stroop Color-Word condition . Additionally , children in the exercise group demonstrated improvement in specific WCST performances in Non-perseverative Errors and Categories Completed , whereas no influences were found in those performances in the control group . Tentative explanations for the exercise effect postulate that exercise allocates attention re sources , influences the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex , and is implicated in exercise-induced dopamine release . These findings are promising and additional investigations to explore the efficacy of exercise on executive function in children with ADHD are encouraged Acute physical activity of moderate to vigorous intensity has been shown to improve cognitive functions in children . However , the empirical evidence associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( ADHD ) in children is still limited , in particular regarding which specific cognitive functions benefit . This study investigated the effects of an acute bout of physical activity on multiple aspects of executive functions ( inhibition , switching , and visual working memory ) in children with ADHD . Forty-six children ( 8–12 years old ; 82.6 % boys ) were r and omly assigned to either 15 minutes of acute exergaming ( physical activity of moderate intensity ) or to a control condition ( sedentary )  . Executive function performance in inhibition , switching and visual working memory were assessed before and after each condition , using a modified version of both the Flanker and the Color Span Backwards Task . The results revealed that participants in the exergaming group performed significantly faster than those in the control group in terms of both inhibition and switching , but there was no significant difference in the accuracy of the two tasks nor in visual working memory performance . These findings suggest that acute physical activity utilizing exergaming has the potential to improve specific aspects of executive functions ( reaction times in inhibition and switching ) in children with ADHD A pilot r and omized clinical trial was conducted to examine the initial efficacy of Pay Attention ! , an intervention training sustained , selective , alternating , and divided attention , in children diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder ( ADHD ) . After a diagnostic and baseline evaluation , school-aged children with ADHD were r and omized to receive 16 bi-weekly sessions of Pay Attention ! ( n=54 ) or to a waitlist control group ( n=51 ) . Participants completed an outcome evaluation approximately 12 weeks after their baseline evaluation . Results showed significant treatment effects for parent and clinician ratings of ADHD symptoms , child self-report of ability to focus , and parent ratings of executive functioning . Child performance on neuropsychological tests showed significant treatment-related improvement on strategic planning efficiency , but no treatment effects were observed on other neuropsychological outcomes . Treatment effects were also not observed for teacher ratings of ADHD . These data add to a growing body of literature supporting effects of cognitive training on attention and behavior , however , additional research is warranted Behavioral and neuropsychological functioning in unmedicated children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) who have a history of medication treatment ( Rx ) versus those who are treatment naïve ( TN ) has , to our knowledge , not been previously studied . Ninety-four children in four groups ( ADHD/Rx , ADHD/TN , learning disabilities [ LD ] , and controls ) were evaluated , while unmedicated , on measures of achievement , neuropsychological functioning , and behavior . The ADHD/Rx group performed significantly better than the TN group on writing , Stroop interference , and measures of attention , and performed as well as the control group on executive functioning , verbal working memory , and academics . Behaviorally , the ADHD groups showed more difficulty with mood and externalizing behaviors compared with the LD and control groups , with the ADHD/TN performing the most poorly . Findings suggest that the ADHD/Rx group shows better executive and academic functioning even when unmedicated OBJECTIVE : To evaluate sustained improvements 6 months after a 40-session , in-school computer attention training intervention using neurofeedback or cognitive training ( CT ) administered to 7- to 11-year-olds with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . METHODS : One hundred four children were r and omly assigned to receive neurofeedback , CT , or a control condition and were evaluated 6 months postintervention . A 3-point growth model assessed change over time across the conditions on the Conners 3–Parent Assessment Report ( Conners 3-P ) , the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function Parent Form ( BRIEF ) , and a systematic double-blinded classroom observation ( Behavioral Observation of Students in Schools ) . Analysis of variance assessed community-initiated changes in stimulant medication . RESULTS : Parent response rates were 90 % at the 6-month follow-up . Six months postintervention , neurofeedback participants maintained significant gains on Conners 3-P ( Inattention effect size [ ES ] = 0.34 , Executive Functioning ES = 0.25 , Hyperactivity/Impulsivity ES = 0.23 ) and BRIEF subscales including the Global Executive Composite ( ES = 0.31 ) , which remained significantly greater than gains found among children in CT and control conditions . Children in the CT condition showed delayed improvement over immediate postintervention ratings only on Conners 3-P Executive Functioning ( ES = 0.18 ) and 2 BRIEF subscales . At the 6-month follow-up , neurofeedback participants maintained the same stimulant medication dosage , whereas participants in both CT and control conditions showed statistically and clinical ly significant increases ( 9 mg [ P = .002 ] and 13 mg [ P < .001 ] , respectively ) . CONCLUSIONS : Neurofeedback participants made more prompt and greater improvements in ADHD symptoms , which were sustained at the 6-month follow-up , than did CT participants or those in the control group . This finding suggests that neurofeedback is a promising attention training treatment for children with ADHD BACKGROUND Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) often , but not always , persists into adulthood . Investigations of the associations between clinical and biological markers of persistence can shed light on causal pathways . It has been proposed that compensatory improvements in executive neuropsychological functioning are associated with clinical improvements . This is the first study to test this hypothesis prospect ively . METHOD The clinical and neuropsychological functioning of 17 boys with ADHD ( mean age 10.45 years at time 1 ; 14.65 years at time 2 ) and 17 typically developing ( TYP ) boys ( mean age 10.39 years at time 1 ; 14.47 years at time 2 ) was tested on two occasions , 4 years apart . This was done using a battery of st and ardized neuropsychological tests that included tasks with high and low executive dem and s. RESULTS Clinical improvements were observed over time . Neuropsychological performance improvements were also evident , with ADHD boys developing with a similar pattern to TYP boys , but with a developmental lag . Whilst there was an association between reduced symptoms and superior performance at retest for one task with a high executive dem and ( spatial working memory ) , this was not seen with two further high executive dem and tasks [ Stockings of Cambridge and intra-dimensional extra-dimensional ( ID/ED ) set shifting ] . Also , there was no association between change in executive functioning and change in symptoms . Baseline performance on the ID/ED set-shifting task predicted better clinical outcome . Only change in performance on the low executive dem and delayed matching-to- sample task predicted better clinical outcome . CONCLUSIONS These data highlight the importance of longitudinal measurements of cognition , symptoms and treatment response over time in children and adolescents with ADHD BACKGROUND Executive function deficits have been reported repeatedly in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( ADHD ) .  Stimulant medication has been shown to be effective in improving cognitive performance on most executive function tasks , but neuropsychological tests of executive function in this population have yielded inconsistent results . Method ological limitations may explain these inconsistencies . This study aim ed to measure executive function in medicated and non-medicated children with ADHD by using a computerized battery , the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery ( CANTAB ) , which is sensitive to executive function deficits in older patients with frontostriatal neurological impairments . METHODS Executive function was assessed in 30 children with ADHD : 15 were stimulant medication naive and 15 were treated with stimulant medication .  These two groups were compared to 15 age , sex and IQ matched controls . RESULTS The unmedicated children with ADHD displayed specific cognitive impairments on executive function tasks of spatial short-term memory , spatial working memory , set-shifting ability and planning ability . Impairments were also seen on spatial recognition memory and delayed matching to sample , while pattern recognition memory remained intact . The medicated children with ADHD were not impaired on any of the above executive function tasks except for deficits in spatial recognition memory . CONCLUSIONS ADHD is associated with deficits in executive function .  Stimulant medication is associated with better executive function performance . Prospect i ve follow-up studies are required to examine these effects OBJECTIVE Little is known about the adult outcome of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) , a very prevalent childhood disorder that is known to affect deleteriously academic performance and other areas of child functioning . This study represents a third wave of evaluations that examine the long-term educational achievement and occupational rank of children with ADHD . METHOD This is a prospect i ve follow-up of white boys of average intelligence whose ADHD was clinical ly diagnosed according to systematic criteria at an average age of 7 years . Follow-up intervals range from 15 to 21 years ( mean , 17 years ) . At average age 24 years , 85 prob and s ( representing 82 % of the childhood cohort ) and 73 controls ( 84 % ) were directly interviewed by trained clinicians who were blind to group membership . RESULTS First , prob and s completed significantly less formal schooling than controls ( about 2 years less , on average ) . Second , prob and s had lower-ranking occupational positions than controls . Finally , these disadvantages were not accounted for by adult mental status . CONCLUSIONS The present study suggests that childhood ADHD predisposes to specific disadvantages and continues to affect important functional domains unrelated to current psychiatric diagnosis Impaired executive function and impulsiveness or intolerance to boredom in adult attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) are thought to compromise performance at work . Several task parameters help people with ADHD to perform better on computerized cognitive tasks , namely reduced response-to-stimulus interval , discriminative feedback , or a format resembling a videogame . However , still very little is known about how these context s might be helpful in a real work environment . We developed a computerized task resembling a fast-paced videogame with no response-to-stimulus interval and constant and diverse discriminative error feedback . The task included several measurements of high-order executive function ( planning , working memory , and prospect i ve memory ) formatted as a single multitask simulating occupational activities ( SOA ) . We also administered the Continuous Performance Test-II ( CPT-II ) , a very simple vigilance task without discriminative feedback and with long response-to-stimulus intervals . We tested 30 adults answering to DSM-IV criteria of ADHD ( combined type ) and 30 IQ-matched adults without ADHD . As has been reported many times , the ADHD participants made significantly more errors of commission than the control participants on the CPT-II , whereas the two groups made the same number of errors of commission on the SOA . The ADHD group also sought discriminative feedback significantly more actively on the SOA than the control group and performed at par with the control group in all respects . There was no speed/accuracy trade-off , nor was there any evidence of other costs of normalization on the SOA . Impulsiveness in adult ADHD is compensable on a task simulating the work environment Objective : This pilot study tested the short- and long-term efficacy ( 9 weeks follow-up ) of an executive functioning ( EF ) remediation training with game elements for children with ADHD in an outpatient clinical setting , using a r and omized controlled wait-list design . Furthermore , in a sub sample , that is , those treated with methylpheni date , additive effects of the EF training were assessed . Method : A total of 40 children ( aged 8 - 12 years ) were r and omized to the EF training or wait-list . The training consisted of a 25-session training of inhibition , cognitive flexibility , and working memory . Treatment outcome was assessed by parent- and teacher-rated EF , ADHD , oppositional deviant disorder , and conduct disorder symptoms . Results : Children in the EF training showed significantly more improvement than those in the wait-list condition on parent-rated EF and ADHD behavior in the total sample and in the sub sample treated with methylpheni date . Effects were maintained at follow-up . Conclusion : This pilot study shows promising evidence for the efficacy of an EF training with game elements Objective : To evaluate the efficacy of 2 computer attention training systems administered in school for children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . Method : Children in second and fourth grade with a diagnosis of ADHD ( n = 104 ) were r and omly assigned to neurofeedback ( NF ) ( n = 34 ) , cognitive training ( CT ) ( n = 34 ) , or control ( n = 36 ) conditions . A 2-point growth model assessed change from pre-post intervention on parent reports ( Conners 3-Parent [ Conners 3-P ] ; Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function [ BRIEF ] rating scale ) , teacher reports ( Swanson , Kotkin , Agler , M-Flynn and Pelham scale [ SKAMP ] ; Conners 3-Teacher [ Conners 3-T ] ) , and systematic classroom observations ( Behavioral Observation of Students in Schools [ BOSS ] ) . Paired t tests and an analysis of covariance assessed change in medication . Results : Children who received NF showed significant improvement compared with those in the control condition on the Conners 3-P Attention , Executive Functioning and Global Index , on all BRIEF summary indices , and on BOSS motor/verbal off-task behavior . Children who received CT showed no improvement compared to the control condition . Children in the NF condition showed significant improvements compared to those in the CT condition on Conners 3-P Executive Functioning , all BRIEF summary indices , SKAMP Attention , and Conners 3-T Inattention subscales . Stimulant medication dosage in methylpheni date equivalencies significantly increased for children in the CT ( 8.54 mg ) and control ( 7.05 mg ) conditions but not for those in the NF condition ( 0.29 mg ) . Conclusion : Neurofeedback made greater improvements in ADHD symptoms compared to both the control and CT conditions . Thus , NF is a promising attention training treatment intervention for children with ADHD Introduction Executive functions ( EFs ) training interventions aim ed at ADHD-symptom reduction have yielded mixed results . Generally , these interventions focus on training a single cognitive domain ( e.g. , working memory [ WM ] , inhibition , or cognitive-flexibility ) . However , evidence suggests that most children with ADHD show deficits on multiple EFs , and that these EFs are largely related to different brain regions . Therefore , training multiple EFs might be a potentially more effective strategy to reduce EF-related ADHD symptoms . Methods Eighty-nine children with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD ( aged 8–12 ) were r and omized to either a full-active-condition where visuospatial WM , inhibition and cognitive-flexibility were trained , a partially-active-condition where inhibition and cognitive-flexibility were trained and the WM-training task was presented in placebo-mode , or to a full placebo-condition . Short-term and long-term ( 3-months ) effects of this gamified , 25-session , home-based computer-training were evaluated on multiple outcome domains . Results During training compliance was high ( only 3 % failed to meet compliance criteria ) . After training , only children in the full-active condition showed improvement on measures of visuospatial short-term-memory ( STM ) and WM . Inhibitory performance and interference control only improved in the full-active- and the partially-active condition . No Treatment-condition x Time interactions were found for cognitive-flexibility , verbal WM , complex-reasoning , nor for any parent- , teacher- , or child-rated ADHD behaviors , EF-behaviors , motivational behaviors , or general problem behaviors . Nonetheless , almost all measures showed main Time-effects , including the teacher-ratings . Conclusions Improvements on inhibition and visuospatial STM and WM were specifically related to the type of treatment received . However , transfer to untrained EFs and behaviors was mostly nonspecific ( i.e. , only interference control improved exclusively in the two EF training conditions ) . As such , in this multiple EF-training , mainly nonspecific treatment factors – as opposed to the specific effects of training EFs — seem related to far transfer effects found on EF and behavior . Trial Registration trialregister.nl NTR2728 . Registry name : improving executive functioning in children with ADHD : training executive functions within the context of a computer game ; registry number : NTR2728 Poor executive function ( EF ) has been linked to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . Children born at extremely low birth weight ( ELBW ; < 1000 g ) have been found to show both poor EF , as well as elevated levels of symptoms of ADHD . In the present study , we examined whether fluid intelligence moderates the link between birth weight and later ADHD symptoms by prospect ively following a cohort of 179 survivors who were born at ELBW . When participants were 8 years-old , they were matched with 145 normal birth weight ( NBW ; ≥2500 g ) control participants . At age 8 , fluid intelligence was measured , and during young adulthood ( ages 22–26 ) , participants ' self-reported levels of ADHD symptoms were examined . We found that ELBW survivors , who also showed poor fluid intelligence , had the highest rates of ADHD symptoms , and particularly , symptoms of inattention . These findings point to the importance of examining developmental trajectories that contribute to risk for psychopathology in those exposed to intrauterine adversity Background : Behavioral inhibition , which is a later-developing executive function ( EF ) and anatomically located in prefrontal areas , is impaired in attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . While optimal EFs have been shown to depend on efficient sleep in healthy subjects , the impact of sleep problems , frequently reported in ADHD , remains elusive . Findings of macroscopic sleep changes in ADHD are inconsistent , but there is emerging evidence for distinct microscopic changes with a focus on prefrontal cortical regions and non-rapid eye movement ( non-REM ) slow-wave sleep . Recently , slow oscillations ( SO ) during non-REM sleep were found to be less functional and , as such , may be involved in sleep-dependent memory impairments in ADHD . Objective : By augmenting slow-wave power through bilateral , slow oscillating transcranial direct current stimulation ( so-tDCS , frequency = 0.75 Hz ) during non-REM sleep , we aim ed to improve daytime behavioral inhibition in children with ADHD . Methods : Fourteen boys ( 10–14 years ) diagnosed with ADHD were included . In a r and omized , double-blind , cross-over design , patients received so-tDCS either in the first or in the second experimental sleep night . Inhibition control was assessed with a visuomotor go/no-go task .  Intrinsic alertness was assessed with a simple stimulus response task . To control for visuomotor performance , motor memory was assessed with a finger sequence tapping task . Results : SO-power was enhanced during early non-REM sleep , accompanied by slowed reaction times and decreased st and ard deviations of reaction times , in the go/no-go task after so-tDCS . In contrast , intrinsic alertness , and motor memory performance were not improved by so-tDCS . Conclusion : Since behavioral inhibition but not intrinsic alertness or motor memory was improved by so-tDCS , our results suggest that lateral prefrontal slow oscillations during sleep might play a specific role for executive functioning in ADHD OBJECTIVE Electroencephalographic ( EEG ) neurofeedback ( NF ) is considered a nonpharmacological alternative for medication in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . Comparisons of the behavioral efficacy of NF and medication have produced inconsistent results . EEG measures can provide insight into treatment mechanisms , but have received little consideration . In this r and omized controlled trial ( RCT ) , effects of NF were compared with methylpheni date ( MPH ) , and physical activity ( PA ) in children with ADHD on event-related potential ( ERP ) indices of response inhibition , which are involved in ADHD psychopathology . METHODS Using a multicenter three way parallel group RCT design , 112 children with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , 4th ed . ( DSM-IV ) ( American Psychiatric Association 1994 ) diagnosis of ADHD , between 7 and 13 years of age , were initially included .  NF training consisted of 30 sessions of theta/beta training at Cz over a 10 week period . PA training was a semiactive control group , matched in frequency and duration . MPH was titrated using a double-blind placebo controlled procedure in 6 weeks , followed by a stable dose for 4 weeks . ERP measures of response inhibition , N2 and P3 , were available for 81 children at pre- and postintervention ( n = 32 NF , n = 25 MPH , n = 24 PA ) . RESULTS Only the medication group showed a specific increase in P3 amplitude compared with NF ( partial eta-squared [ ηp(2 ) ] = 0.121 ) and PA ( ηp(2 ) = 0.283 ) , which was related to improved response inhibition . Source localization of medication effects on P3 amplitude indicated increased activation primarily in thalamic and striatal nuclei . CONCLUSIONS This is the first study that simultaneously compared NF with stimulant treatment and a semiactive control group . Only stimulant treatment demonstrated specific improvements in brain function related to response inhibition . These results are in line with recent doubts on the efficacy and specificity of NF as treatment for ADHD . CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION Train Your Brain ? Exercise and Neurofeedback Intervention for ADHD , https:// clinical trials.gov/show/NCT01363544 , Ref . No. NCT01363544 Objective . This study examined the efficacy of 2 computer-based training systems to teach children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) to attend more effectively . Design / methods . A total of 41 children with ADHD from 2 middle schools were r and omly assigned to receive 2 sessions a week at school of either neurofeedback ( NF ) or attention training through a st and ard computer format ( SCF ) , either immediately or after a 6-month wait ( waitlist control group ) . Parents , children , and teachers completed question naires pre- and postintervention . Results . Primary parents in the NF condition reported significant ( P < .05 ) change on Conners ’s Rating Scales — Revised ( CRS-R ) and Behavior Assessment Scales for Children ( BASC ) subscales ; and in the SCF condition , they reported significant ( P < .05 ) change on the CRS-R Inattention scale and ADHD index , the BASC Attention Problems Scale , and on the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning ( BRIEF ) . Conclusion . This r and omized control trial provides preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of computer-based interventions for ADHD and supports the feasibility of offering them in a school setting Research has shown that aerobic exercise enhances cognitive function , specifically executive functions . This study examines the effect of acute aerobic exercise on cognitive flexibility - an executive function - in late middle-aged individuals . Fourteen men and 45 women aged 50 - 64 , were r and omly assigned to moderate exercise ( 60 % of heart rate reserve ) , moderately-intense ( 70 % of heart rate reserve ) exercise , and movie-watching control groups after a maximal exercise test . Prior to and following the exercise or control sessions participants performed two cognitive tasks : the Alternate Uses assessing cognitive flexibility and the Digit Span Forward subtest from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Revised assessing attention span . Results indicated significant improvement in Alternate Uses in the exercise groups but not in the control group . No group differences were indicated on the Digit Span . These results provide partial support for the benefit of acute aerobic exercise on cognitive flexibility BACKGROUND Until now , working memory training has not reached sufficient evidence as effective treatment for ADHD core symptoms in children with ADHD ; for young children with ADHD , no studies are available . To this end , a triple-blind , r and omized , placebo-controlled study was design ed to assess the efficacy of Cogmed Working Memory Training ( CWMT ) in young children with ADHD . METHODS Fifty-one children ( 5 - 7 years ) with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of ADHD ( without current psychotropic medication ) were r and omly assigned to the active ( adaptive ) or placebo ( nonadaptive ) training condition for 25 sessions during 5 weeks . The compliance criterion ( > 20 sessions ) was met for 47 children . The primary outcome measure concerned the core behavioural symptoms of ADHD , measured with the ADHD Rating Scale IV ( ADHD-RS ) . Secondary outcome measures were neurocognitive functioning , daily executive functioning , and global clinical functioning . The influence of the increase in difficulty level ( Index-Improvement ) for the treatment group was also analysed . Clinical trial registration information - ' Working Memory Training in Young ADHD Children ' ; www . clinical trials.gov ; NCT00819611 . RESULTS A significant improvement in favour of the active condition was found on a verbal working memory task ( p = .041 ; adapted Digit Span WISC-III , backward condition ) . However , it did not survive correction for multiple testing . No significant treatment effect on any of the primary or other secondary outcome measurements was found . The Index-Improvement significantly contributed to ADHD-RS and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function , both rated by the teacher , but revealed no significant group difference . CONCLUSIONS This study failed to find robust evidence for benefits of CMWT over the placebo training on behavioural symptoms , neurocognitive , daily executive , and global clinical functioning in young children with ADHD OBJECTIVE To outline the key features of the developmental progression of ADHD and to consider the most prominent influences on its developmental course and outcomes . METHODS This is a selective review focusing primarily on prospect i ve follow-up studies . Relevant publications were selected by search ing the MEDLINE and PubMed data bases using keywords : ADHD , development , preschool , adolescent , adult , follow up , outcome , long-term , predictors , and treatment . Reference lists of the result ing articles were then review ed for additional publications . RESULTS Presentation of ADHD and associated impairments evolve across development , as do outcome predictors . In early development , in addition to genetics , some forms of prenatal adversity increase the risk for ADHD . In preschool years , symptom severity , cognitive function , and family factors become significant predictors of school age outcomes . These continue to predict long-term outcomes in school aged children , and comorbidity emerges as another significant long-term outcome predictor at this stage . CONCLUSIONS Presentation of ADHD and risk factors for later adversity evolve across development , which calls for developmentally-informed clinical practice A disturbed functioning of the prefrontal cortex , the anterior cingulate cortex , and an accordingly reduced P300 presumably underlies executive function deficits of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . Using a combined classification and Go/NoGo task paradigm , the present study investigated whether medication with methylpheni date ( MPH ) modulates the P300 as measured by a high-density electroencephalogram ( EEG ) and facilitates response inhibition in children with ADHD . Further , effects of MPH were compared with effects of self-regulation by if-then plans ( Gollwitzer in Am Psychol 54 : 493–503 , 1999 ) . MPH as well as if-then plans modulated the P300 and improved inhibition of an unwanted response on a Go/NoGo task to the same level observed in children without ADHD . Importantly , self-regulation strategies might be a valuable alternative to medication with MPH in children with ADHD Past studies find that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) creates a higher risk for adverse driving outcomes . This study comprehensively evaluated driving in adults with ADHD by comparing 105 young adults with the disorder ( age 17 - 28 ) to 64 community control ( CC ) adults on five domains of driving ability and a battery of executive function tasks . The ADHD group self-reported significantly more traffic citations , particularly for speeding , vehicular crashes , and license suspensions than the CC group , with most of these differences corroborated in the official DMV records . Cognitively , the ADHD group was less attentive and made more errors during a visual reaction task under rule-reversed conditions than the CC group . The ADHD group also obtained lower sceres on a test of driving rules and decision-making but not on a simple driving simulator . Both self- and other-ratings showed the CC group employed safer routine driving habits than the ADHD group . Relationships between the cognitive and driving measures and the adverse outcomes were limited or absent , calling into question their use in screening ADHD adults for driving risks . Several executive functions also were significantly yet modestly related to accident frequency and total traffic violations after controlling for severity of ADHD . These results are consistent with earlier studies showing significant driving problems are associated with ADHD . This study found that these driving difficulties were not a function of comorbid oppositional defiant disorder , depression , anxiety , or frequency of alcohol or illegal drug use . Findings to date argue for the development of interventions to reduce driving risks among adults with ADHD
Based on these 3 articles , we concluded that 30 min of physical exercise reportedly improved the executive functions of children with ADHD .
OBJECTIVE Studies have suggested that even a single session of physical exercise enhances executive functions .
ADHD is among the most common developmental disorders in childhood , but little is known about alternative treatments for this disorder .
Therefore , we performed a systematic review of the literature to analyze articles that evaluated the executive functions of children with ADHD after an acute exercise session .