title: Effect of acute exercise on executive function in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Measurement of the Effect of Physical Exercise on the Concentration of Individuals with ADHD 3-year follow-up of the NIMH MTA study. Does Methylphenidate Improve Inhibition and Other Cognitive Abilities in Adults with Childhood-Onset ADHD? [The prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children and adolescents in Germany. Initial results from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS)]. Children With Attention Deficits Concentrate Better After Walk in the Park Multimodal Therapy Involving High-Intensity Interval Training Improves the Physical Fitness, Motor Skills, Social Behavior, and Quality of Life of Boys With ADHD: A Randomized Controlled Study A Randomized Trial Examining the Effects of Aerobic Physical Activity on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Young Children Effects of combined exercise on physical fitness and neurotransmitters in children with ADHD: a pilot randomized controlled study High intensity interval exercise training in overweight young women. Exercise Responses in Boys With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Sports therapy for attention, cognitions and sociality. The effects of exercise on children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Effects of a selected exercise programon executive function of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Cardiorespiratory adaptations to training at specified intensities in children.
abstract: 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 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( ADHD ) mainly affects the academic performance of children and adolescents . In addition to bringing physical and mental health benefits , physical activity has been used to prevent and improve ADHD comorbidities ; however , its effectiveness has not been quantified . In this study , the effect of physical activity on children 's attention was measured using a computer game . Intense physical activity was promoted by a relay race , which requires a 5-min run without a rest interval . The proposed physical stimulus was performed with 28 volunteers : 14 with ADHD ( GE-EF ) and 14 without ADHD symptoms ( GC-EF ) . After 5 min of rest , these volunteers accessed the computer game to accomplish the tasks in the shortest time possible . The computer game was also accessed by another 28 volunteers : 14 with ADHD ( GE ) and 14 without these symptoms ( GC ) . The response time to solve the tasks that require attention was recorded . The results of the four groups were analyzed using D'Agostino statistical tests of normality , Kruskal-Wallis analyses of variance and post-hoc Dunn tests . The groups of volunteers with ADHD who performed exercise ( GE-EF ) showed improved performance for the tasks that require attention with a difference of 30.52 % compared with the volunteers with ADHD who did not perform the exercise ( GE ) . The ( GE-EF ) group showed similar performance ( 2.5 % difference ) with the volunteers in the ( GC ) group who have no ADHD symptoms and did not exercise . This study shows that intense exercise can improve the attention of children with ADHD and may help their school performance OBJECTIVE In the intent-to-treat analysis of the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children With ADHD ( MTA ) , the effects of medication management ( MedMgt ) , behavior therapy ( Beh ) , their combination ( Comb ) , and usual community care ( CC ) differed at 14 and 24 months due to superiority of treatments that used the MTA medication algorithm ( Comb+MedMgt ) over those that did not ( Beh+CC ) . This report examines 36-month outcomes , 2 years after treatment by the study ended . METHOD For primary outcome measures ( attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ ADHD ] and oppositional defiant disorder [ ODD ] symptoms , social skills , reading scores , impairment , and diagnostic status ) , mixed-effects regression models and orthogonal contrasts examined 36-month outcomes . RESULTS At 3 years , 485 of the original 579 subjects ( 83.8 % ) participated in the follow-up , now at ages 10 to 13 years , ( mean 11.9 years ) . In contrast to the significant advantage of MedMgt+Comb over Beh+CC for ADHD symptoms at 14 and 24 months , treatment groups did not differ significantly on any measure at 36 months . The percentage of children taking medication > 50 % of the time changed between 14 and 36 months across the initial treatment groups : Beh significantly increased ( 14 % to 45 % ) , MedMed+Comb significantly decreased ( 91 % to 71 % ) , and CC remained constant ( 60%-62 % ) . Regardless of their treatment use changes , all of the groups showed symptom improvement over baseline . Notably , initial symptom severity , sex ( male ) , comorbidity , public assistance , and parental psychopathology ( ADHD ) did not moderate children 's 36-month treatment responses , but these factors predicted worse outcomes over 36 months , regardless of original treatment assignment . CONCLUSIONS By 36 months , the earlier advantage of having had 14 months of the medication algorithm was no longer apparent , possibly due to age-related decline in ADHD symptoms , changes in medication management intensity , starting or stopping medications altogether , or other factors not yet evaluated We examined the effect of methylpheni date ( Mph ) on inhibition and several other cognitive abilities in 43 adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( ADHD ) by use of Conners ’ Continuous Performance Test ( CPT ) and the Change Task ( ChT ) , an extension of the Stop Signal Test ( SST ) . In a double blind , cross-over , placebo controlled study with Mph , tests were administered during the third week of individually titrated treatment with Mph ( maximum dose 1 mg / kg / day ) and during the third week of treatment with placebo . We established large medication effects for commission errors , st and ard error of mean reaction time , and attentiveness on the CPT , as well as moderate medication effects for mean reaction time on the CPT and response re-engagement speed on the ChT. For Stop Signal Reaction Time ( SSRT ) on the ChT , we also established large effects of Mph , but only in a group of participants who showed slow SSRTs on placebo . Mph indeed ameliorates inhibition , which is the core problem of ADHD , and certain other cognitive abilities in adults with ADHD . This research was supported by grants from Mental Health Institute GGZ Delfl and , Health Insurance Company DSW , Nationaal Fonds Geestelijke Volksgezondheid ( National Foundation for Mental Health ) , and De Hersenstichting ( Brain Foundation ) . We thank Alex de Jager , Judith Rietjens , and Susan ter Linden for their help in collecting the data . We thank the Board of Scientific Activities of the Reinier de Graaf Hospital in Delft for their financial contribution to the preparation of the study medication . We thank Paul van der Linden for his help with the r and omization procedure The cardinal symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) are inattention , hyperactivity and impulsivity . Etiologically , ADHD is mainly put down to genetic causes ; it entails a considerable range of psychosocial problems for those affected and their social environment . The parents of a total of 7,569 boys ( B ) and 7,267 girls ( G ) aged 3 - 17 who took part in the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents ( KiGGS ) answered a self-administered question naire including an ADHD diagnosis question and the  Strengths and Difficulties Question naire ( SDQ )  . In addition behavioural observations of 7,919 children ( aged 3 - 11 ) were carried out during the medical and physical tests . Participants whose parents reported that they had ever been given an ADHD diagnosis by a doctor or psychologist were classified as ADHD cases . Participants were classified as suspected cases of ADHD if they had a value of > or = 7 on the SDQ inattention/hyperactivity scale . ADHD had ever been diagnosed in 4.8 % of the children and adolescents altogether ( B : 7.7 % , G : 1.8 % ) . Another 4.9 % of the participants can be considered as suspected cases . Already 1.8 % of the preschoolers had been given an ADHD diagnosis . At primary school age ( 7 - 10 years old ) the frequency of diagnosis rises sharply . At age 11 - 17 , ADHD had ever been diagnosed in 1 in 10 boys and 1 in 43 girls . ADHD had been diagnosed significantly more frequently among participants of low socio-economic status ( SES ) than among participants of high SES . A diagnosis of ADHD is reported less often for migrants , they rank more frequently among the suspected cases . The discrepancy between confirmed and suspected cases of ADHD among migrants may point to lower diagnosis rates or lower utilization of medical services . The short- and long-term medical , social and health-economic effects of ADHD illustrate the major public health relevance of the disorder . As for prevention , the high share of genetic factors in ADHD etiology primarily suggests secondary prevention ( early support and early diagnosis ) and tertiary prevention measures . Further analysis of the KiGGS data could prospect ively identify risk groups more precisely and refine preventional approaches Objective : In the general population , attention is reliably enhanced after exposure to certain physical environments , particularly natural environments . This study examined the impacts of environments on attention in children with ADHD . Method : In this within subjects design , each participant experienced each of three treatments ( environments ) in single blind controlled trials . Seventeen children 7 to12 years old professionally diagnosed with ADHD experienced each of three environments — a city park and two other well-kept urban setting s — via individually guided 20-minute walks . Environments were experienced 1 week apart , with r and omized assignment to treatment order . After each walk , concentration was measured using Digit Span Backwards . Results : Children with ADHD  concentrated better after the walk in the park than after the downtown walk ( p = .0229 ) or the neighborhood walk ( p = .0072 ) . Effect sizes were substantial ( Cohen 's d = .52 and .77 , respectively ) and comparable to those reported for recent formulations of methylpheni date . Conclusion : Twenty minutes in a park setting was sufficient to elevate attention performance relative to the same amount of time in other setting s. These findings indicate that environments can enhance attention not only in the general population but also in ADHD population s. “ Doses of nature ” might serve as a safe , inexpensive , widely accessible new tool in the tool kit for managing ADHD symptoms . ( J. of Att . Dis . 2009 ; 12(5 ) 402 - 409 Objective : To compare the effects of multimodal therapy including supervised high-intensity interval training ( HIIT ) with those of st and ard multimodal therapy ( TRAD ) concerning key variables of physical fitness ( peak power and oxygen uptake ) , motor skills , social behavior , and quality of life in boys with ADHD . Method : A single-center , two-arm r and omized , controlled design was used , with 28 boys ( 8 - 13 years of age , IQ = 83 - 136 ) being r and omly assigned to multimodal HIIT  ( three sessions/week , 4 × 4-min intervals at 95 % of peak heart rate ) or TRAD . The Movement Assessment Battery for Children II evaluated motor skills and the German version of the hyperkinetic disorder question naire for external evaluation by the guardians ( FBB-HKS ) or German version of the hyperkinetic disorder question naire for self- assessment by the children ( SBB-HKS ) and the KINDL-R question naires mental health and health-related quality of life . Results : Both interventions enhanced peak power , and HIIT also reduced submaximal oxygen uptake . HIIT was more effective than TRAD  in improving the total score for motor skills ( including manual dexterity and ball skills ; p < .05 ) , self-esteem , friends , and competence ( p < .05 ) and , moreover , improved subjective ratings of attention . Conclusion : Three weeks of multimodal therapy including HIIT improved physical fitness , motor skills , certain aspects of quality of life , competence , and attention in boys with ADHD The goal of this study was to compare the effects of before school physical activity ( PA ) and sedentary classroom-based ( SC ) interventions on the symptoms , behavior , moodiness , and peer functioning of young children ( Mage = 6.83 ) at risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD-risk ; n = 94 ) and typically developing children ( TD ; n = 108 ) . Children were r and omly assigned to either PA or SC and participated in the assigned intervention 31 min per day , each school day , over the course of 12 weeks . Parent and teacher ratings of ADHD symptoms ( inattention , hyperactivity/impulsivity ) , oppositional behavior , moodiness , behavior toward peers , and reputation with peers , were used as dependent variables . Primary analyses indicate that the PA intervention was more effective than the SC intervention at reducing inattention and moodiness in the home context . Less conservative follow-up analyses within ADHD status and intervention groups suggest that a PA intervention may reduce impairment associated with ADHD-risk in both home and school domains ; interpretive caution is warranted , however , given the liberal approach to these analyses . Unexpectedly , these findings also indicate the potential utility of a before school SC intervention as a tool for managing ADHD symptoms . Inclusion of a no treatment control group in future studies will enable further underst and ing of PA as an alternative management strategy for ADHD symptoms [ Purpose ] The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of a jump rope and ball combined exercise program on the physical fitness the neurotransmitter ( epinephrine , serotonin ) levels of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder . [ Subjects and Methods ] The subjects were 12 boys attending elementary school , whose grade levels ranged from 1–4 . The block r and omization method was used to distribute the participants between the combined exercise group ( n = 6 ) and control group ( n = 6 ) . The program consisted of a 60-min exercise ( 10-min warm-up , 40-min main exercise , and 10-min cool down ) performed three times a week , for a total of 12 weeks . [ Results ] The exercise group showed a significant improvement in cardiorespiratory endurance , muscle strength , muscle endurance and flexibility after 12 weeks . A significant increase in the epinephrine level was observed in the exercise group . [ Conclusion ] The 12-week combined exercise program in the current study ( jump rope and ball exercises ) had a positive effect on overall fitness level , and neurotransmission in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder AIM The purpose of this study was intended to evaluate the effects of a high intensity interval training ( HIIT ) program on the body composition , cardiac function and aerobic capacity in overweight young women . METHODS Sixty female university students ( aged 19 - 20 , BMI ≥25kg/m2 and percentage body fat ≥ 30 % ) were chosen and then r and omly assigned to each of the HIIT group , the moderate intensity continuous training ( MICT ) group and the non-training control group . The subjects in both the HIIT and MICT groups underwent exercise training five times per week for 12 weeks . In each of the training sessions , the HIIT group performed interval exercises at the individualized heart rate ( HR ) of 85 % of VO2max and separated by brief periods of low intensity activity ( HR at 50 % of VO2max ) , while the MICT group did continuous walking and /or jogging at the individualized HR of 50 % of VO2max . RESULTS Both of these exercise training programs produced significant improvements in the subjects ' body composition , left ventricular ejection fraction , heart rate at rest , maximal oxygen uptake and ventilatory threshold . However , the HIIT group achieved better results than those in the MICT group , as it was evaluated by the amount of the effect size . The control group did not achieve any change in all of the measured variables . CONCLUSION The tangible results achieved by our relatively large groups of homogeneous subjects have demonstrated that the HIIT program is an effective measure for the treatment of young women who are overweight Objective : The effect of stimulant medication on exercise responses was studied in 14 boys ( 10.9 ± 1.1 years ) with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . Method : Exercise , with and without medication , was performed at 25 W , 50 W , and 75 W , followed by a peak exercise test . Result : Submaximal heart rate ( HR ) was significantly higher by ~8 to 13 b·min—1 across the three intensities during the medication trial , but oxygen uptake ( VO2 ) , respiratory exchange ratio ( RER ) , and perceived exertion were similar ( p > .05 ) . At peak exercise , VO2 , HR , and work rate were attenuated ( p ≤ .05 ) in the absence of medication but not RER or perceived exertion . The decreased peak exercise responses were apparent in 6 of 13 participants . Conclusion : Stimulant medication  raises submaximal HR but does not affect other cardiorespiratory measures or perceived exertion . Without medication physiological responses at peak exercise are attenuated in some but not all boys with ADHD . ( J. of Att . Dis . 2008 ; 12(2 ) 170 - 176 The aim of the present study was to underst and if sport improves attention symptoms , social competency , and cognitive functions in children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . The present study was design ed as a 6-week , prospect i ve trial , including 12 sessions of education/sports therapy .  13 ADHD children participated in a  90-min athletic activity ( sports-cADHD ) twice a week , while 15 ADHD children received education on behavior control ( edu-cADHD ) . During the 6-week treatment period , the sports-cADHD group showed greater improvements in DuPaul 's ADHD Rating Scale scores , parent and teacher version ( K-ARS-PT ) , compared to those of the edu-sADHD group . The cognitive functions assessed with the digit symbol and Trail-Making Test part B ( TMT B ) were improved in the sports-cADHD group , while the cognitive functions observed in the edu-sADHD group were not significantly changed . The cooperativeness scores in the sports-cADHD group were greatly increased compared to those of the edu-sADHD group . The results demonstrated a positive correlation with sports and improvement in attention symptoms , cognitive symptoms and social skills . The results of the present study suggest that therapy in the form of athletic activity may increase social competency in children with ADHD , as demonstrated by improved cognitive functions PURPOSE The effects of exercise on children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) were evaluated by study ing the rate of spontaneous eye blinks , the acoustic startle eye blink response ( ASER ) , and motor impersistence among 8- to 12-yr-old children ( 10 boys and 8 girls ) meeting DSM-III-R criteria for ADHD . METHODS Children ceased methylpheni date medication 24 h before and during each of three daily conditions separated by 24 - 48 h. After a maximal treadmill walking test to determine cardiorespiratory fitness ( VO(2peak ) ) , each child was r and omly assigned to counterbalanced conditions of treadmill walking at an intensity of 65 - 75 % VO(2peak ) or quiet rest . Responses were compared with a group of control participants ( 11 boys and 14 girls ) equated with the ADHD group on several key variables . RESULTS Boys with ADHD had increased spontaneous blink rate , decreased ASER latency , and decreased motor impersistence after maximal exercise . Girls with ADHD had increased ASER amplitude and decreased ASER latency after submaximal exercise . CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest an interaction between sex and exercise intensity that is not explained by physical fitness , activity history , or selected personality attributes . The clinical meaning of the eye blink results is not clear , as improvements in motor impersistence occurred only for boys after maximal exercise . Nonetheless , these preliminary findings are sufficiently positive to encourage additional study to determine whether a session of vigorous exercise has efficacy as a dopaminergic adjuvant in the management of behavioral features of ADHD 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 ABSTRACT .Thirty-six boys , aged 11 - 13 , were tested on a bicycle ergometer prior to and following a six week training program . The subjects were ranked according to their Vo2 max , blocked into three fitness levels and then r and omly assigned to one of the four treatment groups . The first group ( T1 )
target: Overall , the studies review ed were of moderate-to-high quality and reported benefits of a variety of exercise programmes in improving motor skills , physical fitness , attention and social behaviour in children with ADHD .
  However , there was limited information regarding school-based programmes , the effects of structured exercise programmes independently or in combination with cognitive-based therapies , and the long-term benefits of exercises in alleviating behavioural problems in these children
background: Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) are educated in classrooms along with typically developing children .
  Those with ADHD , however , find it difficult to participate in routine educational and recreational activities as they encounter problems associated with behaviour , attention , motor skills and physical endurance .
  Traditionally , the management of children with ADHD has focussed primarily on problems with cognition and has been heavily dependent on pharmaceutical interventions and , to a lesser extent , on non-pharmaceutical measures .
  More recently , experts have increasingly advocated the use of exercises in alleviating symptoms associated with ADHD .
  The primary objective of this review was to summarize research that examined the role of exercises on deficits related to attention , motor skills and fitness in children with ADHD .