MPH Administration May Improve Academic Performance

Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2004 Feb;58(1):37-41. Related Articles, Links


Rapid improvement in academic grades following methylphenidate treatment in
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Yang P, Chung LC, Chen CS, Chen CC.

Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital and
Department of Psychiatry, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taiwan.

In the present study a 16 week comparison study was conducted of behavioral,
cognitive and educational measures in school-age Taiwanese children with
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) receiving open-label
methylphenidate (MPH). Subjects include 14 male and five female ADHD
children. They received MPH twice per day continuously for 16 weeks.
Measures of behavior, cognitive function (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Tower
of London and Continuous Performance Test), Chinese and arithmetic learning
achievement were compared with those of their baseline condition. After MPH,
68-78% of children showed improving behavior in classroom and at home. Among
the neuropsychological tests, only the percentage of preservative error was
improved (P = 0.022). Approximately 61-66% of children had improvement in
academic learning (P = 0.013 for Chinese, 0.004 for arithmetic). The MPH
treatment demonstrated improvement in domains of classroom/home behaviors
and academic performance, but showed minimal change on neuropsychological
functioning in Taiwanese ADHD children. The finding of academic gain was
unexpected, which might be due to the greater interest in achievement and
better compliance to cultural expectations by Taiwanese versus Western
students, which translated into more rapid improvement in academic
performance.

PMID: 14678455 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

methylphenidate (MPH). Subjects include 14 male and five female ADHD
children. They received MPH twice per day continuously for 16 weeks.

19 kids. No controls.

... The MPH
treatment demonstrated improvement in domains of classroom/home behaviors
and academic performance, but showed minimal change on neuropsychological
functioning in Taiwanese ADHD children.

I thought that MPH was supposed to improve neuropsychological functioning.
What went wrong?

Roger Schlafly wrote:
methylphenidate (MPH). Subjects include 14 male and five female ADHD
children. They received MPH twice per day continuously for 16 weeks.


19 kids. No controls.

it was a within subject design--they were their own controls (one of the
best type)



... The MPH
treatment demonstrated improvement in domains of classroom/home behaviors
and academic performance, but showed minimal change on neuropsychological
functioning in Taiwanese ADHD children.


I thought that MPH was supposed to improve neuropsychological functioning.
What went wrong?

I think the claim is toward academic performance and quality of life.

"Mark Morin" wrote in message
...
Roger Schlafly wrote:
methylphenidate (MPH). Subjects include 14 male and five female ADHD
children. They received MPH twice per day continuously for 16 weeks.


19 kids. No controls.

it was a within subject design--they were their own controls (one of the
best type)



... The MPH
treatment demonstrated improvement in domains of classroom/home
behaviors
and academic performance, but showed minimal change on
neuropsychological
functioning in Taiwanese ADHD children.


I thought that MPH was supposed to improve neuropsychological
functioning.
What went wrong?

I think the claim is toward academic performance and quality of life.

Careful, Mark, Dr. Schlafley is an expert in mathematics and experiment
design.

Mark ProbertJanuary 14, 2004 wrote:

"Mark Morin" wrote in message
...

Roger Schlafly wrote:

methylphenidate (MPH). Subjects include 14 male and five female ADHD
children. They received MPH twice per day continuously for 16 weeks.


19 kids. No controls.

it was a within subject design--they were their own controls (one of the
best type)



... The MPH
treatment demonstrated improvement in domains of classroom/home

behaviors

and academic performance, but showed minimal change on

neuropsychological

functioning in Taiwanese ADHD children.


I thought that MPH was supposed to improve neuropsychological

functioning.

What went wrong?

I think the claim is toward academic performance and quality of life.


Careful, Mark, Dr. Schlafley is an expert in mathematics and experiment
design.



Yeah, I remember all too well his last attempts.

"Mark Morin" wrote
methylphenidate (MPH). Subjects include 14 male and five female ADHD
children. They received MPH twice per day continuously for 16 weeks.
19 kids. No controls.
it was a within subject design--they were their own controls (one of the
best type)

For controls, it might have been interesting to have some ADHD kids on
placebos, some non-ADHD kids on MPH (ritalin), and some non-ADHD
kids on placebos.

... The MPH
treatment demonstrated improvement in domains of classroom/home
behaviors
and academic performance, but showed minimal change on
neuropsychological
functioning in Taiwanese ADHD children.
I thought that MPH was supposed to improve neuropsychological
functioning.
What went wrong?
I think the claim is toward academic performance and quality of life.

And those are the main reasons so many kids are on ritalin? I thought that
it was mainly to improve neuropsychological functioning. I guess that I've
been misinformed.

"Roger Schlafly" wrote in message
. net...
methylphenidate (MPH). Subjects include 14 male and five female ADHD
children. They received MPH twice per day continuously for 16 weeks.

19 kids. No controls.

... The MPH
treatment demonstrated improvement in domains of classroom/home
behaviors
and academic performance, but showed minimal change on
neuropsychological
functioning in Taiwanese ADHD children.

I thought that MPH was supposed to improve neuropsychological functioning.
What went wrong?

Nothing. The problem with ADHD is that child with ADHD aren't able to focus
at the tasks at hand, e.g., classwork and homework as well as behave
appropriately at home. The MPH appears to have enabled the kids to focus at
home and the classroom and their behaviors improved as well as their grades.

One concern though: This was an open label study, which, if I understand
correctly, means that the kids and their parents knew they were getting MPH.
They may have improved because they thought they would improve.

Jeff

"Roger Schlafly" wrote in message
. net...
"Mark Morin" wrote
methylphenidate (MPH). Subjects include 14 male and five female ADHD
children. They received MPH twice per day continuously for 16 weeks.
19 kids. No controls.
it was a within subject design--they were their own controls (one of the
best type)

For controls, it might have been interesting to have some ADHD kids on
placebos, some non-ADHD kids on MPH (ritalin), and some non-ADHD
kids on placebos.

... The MPH
treatment demonstrated improvement in domains of classroom/home
behaviors
and academic performance, but showed minimal change on
neuropsychological
functioning in Taiwanese ADHD children.
I thought that MPH was supposed to improve neuropsychological
functioning.
What went wrong?
I think the claim is toward academic performance and quality of life.

And those are the main reasons so many kids are on ritalin? I thought that
it was mainly to improve neuropsychological functioning. I guess that I've
been misinformed.

Being able to learn in a neuropsychological function. The cognitive tests
are directly affected by MPH. The important tests, like being able to
achieve in school did improve.

Jeff

Roger Schlafly wrote:

"Mark Morin" wrote

methylphenidate (MPH). Subjects include 14 male and five female ADHD
children. They received MPH twice per day continuously for 16 weeks.

19 kids. No controls.

it was a within subject design--they were their own controls (one of the
best type)


For controls, it might have been interesting to have some ADHD kids on
placebos, some non-ADHD kids on MPH (ritalin), and some non-ADHD
kids on placebos.

It might be interesting but it would be a weaker control group.
The best control group is one where all variables (gender, age, SES,
weight, etc.) except the variable in question are controlled. One way is
to match subjects on these variables. Another way is to have a WITHIN
SUBJECT DESIGHN such that each subject is his or her own control

And those are the main reasons so many kids are on ritalin? I thought that
it was mainly to improve neuropsychological functioning. I guess that I've
been misinformed.

you just noticed?




--
================================================== ==
When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I
come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has
meant more to me than any talent
for abstract, positive thinking.

Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
Physicist

http://home.gwi.net/~mdmpsyd/index.htm

"Roger Schlafly" wrote in message
. net...
"Mark Morin" wrote
methylphenidate (MPH). Subjects include 14 male and five female ADHD
children. They received MPH twice per day continuously for 16 weeks.
19 kids. No controls.
it was a within subject design--they were their own controls (one of the
best type)

For controls, it might have been interesting to have some ADHD kids on
placebos, some non-ADHD kids on MPH (ritalin), and some non-ADHD
kids on placebos.

... The MPH
treatment demonstrated improvement in domains of classroom/home
behaviors
and academic performance, but showed minimal change on
neuropsychological
functioning in Taiwanese ADHD children.
I thought that MPH was supposed to improve neuropsychological
functioning.
What went wrong?
I think the claim is toward academic performance and quality of life.

And those are the main reasons so many kids are on ritalin? I thought that
it was mainly to improve neuropsychological functioning. I guess that I've
been misinformed.

We have been telling you that for years.

Glad to help.