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The effect of methylphenidate on n-back task performance in boys with epilepsy and or ADHD : a behavioral and functional MRI study

Bechtel, N. and Penner, I. -K. and Klarhöfer, M. and Scheffler, K. and Opwis, K. and Weber, P.. (2010) The effect of methylphenidate on n-back task performance in boys with epilepsy and or ADHD : a behavioral and functional MRI study. Epilepsia : journal of the International League against Epilepsy, Vol. 51, H. Suppl. 4. pp. 16-17.

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Official URL: http://edoc.unibas.ch/dok/A5839880

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Abstract

Purpose: Approximately 1/3 of children with epilepsy also suffer from attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which often includes deficits in working memory. Methylphenidate (MPH) can improve the behavioral difficulties in children with ADHD. However, it is not yet clear whether there are specific neurobehavioral differences between children with combined epilepsy/ADHD and children with developmental ADHD and whether MPH shows comparable neurofunctional effects in working memory task-induced brain activation in both patient groups. Method: Eleven boys with diagnosed epilepsy/ADHD, 14 boys with behavioral ADHD and 12 healthy controls (aged 9–14 years) were investigated using fMRI; once with medication and once without. In order to measure working memory performance, the popular N-back paradigm was used and scans were recorded on a 3T human head scanner. Results: Healthy controls performed significantly better than both patient groups without medication, whereas patients’ performance improved to normal after the intake of MPH. On the functional level healthy controls showed more activation in frontal, parietal and cerebellar regions than both patient groups. Within the patient groups there was no enhanced activation detectable due to medication. Conclusion: These data indicate a clear effect of MPH on a behavioral level. However, this effect is not reflected by changes in functional brain organization. In contrast to healthy controls, patients showed decreased activation during N-back tasks in both conditions. Due to the behavioral and functional similarities of the two patient groups, data indicate that the neurobehavioral dysfunctions of working memory are comparable in children with epilepsy and/or ADHD.
Faculties and Departments:07 Faculty of Psychology > Departement Psychologie > Society & Choice > Allgemeine Psychologie und Methodologie (Opwis)
07 Faculty of Psychology > Departement Psychologie > Ehemalige Einheiten Psychologie > Clinical Cognitive Research (Penner)
UniBasel Contributors:Opwis, Klaus and Bechtel, Nina and Penner, Iris-Katharina
Item Type:Article, refereed
Article Subtype:Research Article
Publisher:Elsevier
ISSN:0013-9580
Note:Publication type according to Uni Basel Research Database: Journal article
Last Modified:14 Sep 2012 07:20
Deposited On:14 Sep 2012 07:04

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