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 .
Objective measurement of
hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention in children with
hyperkinetic disorders before and after treatment with
methylphenidate
Abstract . Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate whether values of the respective parameters of the OPTAx test dependently differ due to the medication with methylpheni date ( MPH ) in children with hyperkinetic disorders ( HD ) suffering from hyperactivity , impulsivity , and attention deficits . Methods : The OPTAx test is an infrared motion analysis to record the movement pattern during a continuous performance test . We tested 25 children between 6 and 12 years with HD ( ICD-10 : F90.0 or F90.1 ) before and after treatment with MPH .  The parameters under investigation were activity ( microevents and spatial scaling ) , impulsivity ( errors of commission ) , and attentiveness ( accuracy and variability ) . For statistical analysis a one-tailed matched pairs test ( adj . p = 0.01 ) was conducted to discriminate differences found from those occurred at r and om . A post hoc partial correlation of absolute differences in the respective parameters and the daily dose of MPH ( adj . for BMI ) was performed if p < 0.01 . Results : Statistically significant results were found for microevents , spatial scaling , errors of commission , accuracy , and variability . The partial correlation showed significant results for microevents and variability . Conclusion : The mean pre – post changes found in all parameters investigated consistently correspond with benefits desired from medication with MPH in children with HD . Absolute differences in microevents and variability seem to depend on the daily dose of MPH after adjustment for BMI
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 .