There were mixed findings with regard to the use of CPTs to assess and manage medication , with contrasting evidence on their ability to support clinical decision-making .
There was a strong evidence base for the use of objective measures of activity to aid ADHD/non-ADHD group differentiation , which appears sensitive to medication effects and would also benefit from further research on their clinical utility .
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) is typically diagnosed using clinical observation and subjective informant reports .
Once children commence ADHD medication , robust monitoring is required to detect partial or non-responses .
The extent to which neuropsychological continuous performance tests ( CPTs ) and objective measures of activity can clinical ly aid the assessment and titration process in ADHD is not fully understood .
This review describes the current evidence base for the use of CPTs and objective ly measured activity to support the diagnostic procedure and medication management for children with ADHD .
Four data bases ( PsycINFO , Medline , Allied and Complementary Medicine ( AMED ) , and PsycARTICLES ) were systematic ally search ed to underst and the current evidence base for ( 1 ) the use of CPTs to aid clinical assessment of ADHD ; ( 2 ) the use of CPTs to aid medication management ; and ( 3 ) the clinical utility of objective measures of activity in ADHD .
Differential effects of methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine on the motor activity level of hyperactive children.
An acceleration-sensitive device was used to measure motor activity continuously through the day in 18 hyperactive boys in a day hospital program . The children received methylpheni date , dextroamphetamine , or placebo daily after breakfast and lunch in an 11-week double-blind crossover trial . Differential effectiveness of the two drugs in lowering motor activity was found . Methylpheni date significantly lowered activity measurements in a morning structured classroom and in less structured activities in the afternoon . Dextroamphetamine  effects on activity were similar , although they did not differ significantly from placebo effects between 11:00 AM and noon in our classroom setting . Methylpheni date produced a greater decrement in motor activity than did dextroamphetamine between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM . There were no significant differences in activity level between drug doses within each drug phase across the dose ranges used ( for methylpheni date 0.45 to 1.25 mg/kg given twice daily , and for dextroamphetamine 0.2 to 0.6 mg/kg given twice daily ) . Plasma drug concentrations did not correlate with decrements in activity for either drug
There were mixed findings with regard to the use of CPTs to assess and manage medication , with contrasting evidence on their ability to support clinical decision-making .
There was a strong evidence base for the use of objective measures of activity to aid ADHD/non-ADHD group differentiation , which appears sensitive to medication effects and would also benefit from further research on their clinical utility .
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) is typically diagnosed using clinical observation and subjective informant reports .
Once children commence ADHD medication , robust monitoring is required to detect partial or non-responses .
The extent to which neuropsychological continuous performance tests ( CPTs ) and objective measures of activity can clinical ly aid the assessment and titration process in ADHD is not fully understood .
This review describes the current evidence base for the use of CPTs and objective ly measured activity to support the diagnostic procedure and medication management for children with ADHD .
Four data bases ( PsycINFO , Medline , Allied and Complementary Medicine ( AMED ) , and PsycARTICLES ) were systematic ally search ed to underst and the current evidence base for ( 1 ) the use of CPTs to aid clinical assessment of ADHD ; ( 2 ) the use of CPTs to aid medication management ; and ( 3 ) the clinical utility of objective measures of activity in ADHD .