Methylphenidate Reduces State Anxiety During a Continuous Performance Test That Distinguishes Adult ADHD Patients From Controls. (January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bloch, Yuval; Aviram, Shai; Segev, Aviv; Nitzan, Uri; Levkovitz, Yechiel; Braw, Yoram; Mimouni Bloch, Aviva
• Is Part Of: Journal of attention disorders. Volume 21:Number 1(2017)
• Page Start: 46
• Page End: 51
• Publication Date: 2017-01
• Subjects: methylphenidate -- adult ADHD -- anxiety -- assessment; Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder -- Periodicals; Attention -- Periodicals; 616.8589
• DOI: 10.1177/1087054712474949
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1087-0547

Abstract

Objective: We hypothesized that patients with ADHD were typified by distress more than by functional difficulties. Thus, a decline in state anxiety while performing a cognitive task when taking methylphenidate would discriminate between ADHD patients and controls.Method: State anxiety and cognitive performance on a continuous performance test were assessed in ADHD patients and controls with and without taking methylphenidate.Results: State anxiety and cognitive performance improved from baseline in 36 ADHD adults after taking methylphenidate. In 25 controls, cognitive performance improved, but state anxiety did not abate after a recess. In two additional studies, 5 controls were evaluated at baseline and after receiving methylphenidate, and showed improvement in cognitive assessment but not in state anxiety. Five ADHD adults were assessed at baseline and after a recess, and showed no improvement.Conclusion: Our results support the hypothesis that adult ADHD patients are characterized by distress and the relief of this distress under effective therapy as expressed by a decline in state anxiety while they perform a cognitive task.