Response Variability in Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have numerous areas of neuropsychological dysfunction including response inhibition, working memory, and attention. One neuropsychological outcome measure that consistently reveals between-group differences is response variability. However, until recently, differences in response variability have been reported as an ancillary finding or viewed as a nuisance in the analyses. The specific aims of the present study are to 1) Examine response variability in ADHD patients across neuropsychological tasks to understand the breadth of this specific deficit and to understand the relation between response variability and other neuropsychological outcome measures; 2) Assess whether response variability deficits are specific to either or both of the two most prevalent ADHD subtypes (i.e., Combined Type [CT] and Predominantly Inattentive Type [PIT]); 3) Determine whether response variability in ADHD patients is affected by either medication or a variety of environmental manipulations (e.g., reward); and 4) Understand the relationship between neuropsychological measures of response variability and naturalistic instances of variable performance. Forty-five children (aged 7-11) with ADHD-CT, 45 children with ADHD-PIT, and 45 normal controls will be recruited to examine response variability across a wide range of neuropsychological tests. Task parameters such as event rate, stimulus saliency, and the presence of operant reward will be modified on each test to determine the conditions under which response variability is manifested in children with ADHD. In addition, all children with ADHD will participate in a placebo-controlled, randomized medication trial with a psychostimulant medication to assess the effects of medication on response variability. Advanced analytic methods utilizing non-Gaussian distributions and fast Fourier Transforms of the reaction time data will be used to conduct detailed analyses of RT patterns across the ADHD and normal control groups. Further, the effects of task parametric manipulations and medication on response variability will be examined. Finally, relations between response variability on neuropsychological tests and response variability in a variety of real-world analog situations will be examined to evaluate the ecological validity of these deficits.

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Key information

Conditions

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders Mental Disorders Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Age range

7 year–11 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 4

Primary location

Cincinnati Childrens Hospital

Cincinnati, Ohio, 45229, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

. Participants for the study must meet all of the following criteria:

Consent: The family must provide signature of informed consent by parents or legal guardians.
Age at time of Screening: 7 years to 11 years, inclusive
Gender: includes male and female children.
ADHD Diagnostic Status: ADHD patients must meet DSM-IV criteria for ADHD, Inattentive or Combined subtype. Normal controls must not meet DSM-IV criteria for ADHD, any subtype. Section D.4 below describes in detail the diagnostic process for arriving at diagnosis.
Cognitive Functioning: IQ of greater than 80 as estimated by Vocabulary and Block Design subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV).
Learning Disability: All children will be administered the abbreviated WIAT including the Spelling, Reading, and Math subtests. Children must score above 80 on all three WIAT subtests.
School: Children must be enrolled in a school setting from which teacher ratings can be obtained.

Exclusion criteria

. Potential participants will be excluded if they meet any of the following criteria:

Understanding Level. The patient and parent cannot understand or follow instructions given in the study.
History of Psychiatric Medications: Children who have a history of taking any medication for psychological or psychiatric problems will be excluded from participation.
Exclusionary Psychiatric Conditions: Children whose primary diagnosis is something other than ADHD will be excluded from participation.
Developmental Disabilities. As a result of scores on the IQ screening, additional assessments, or the judgment of the study clinicians, patients will be excluded if they are deemed to be significantly developmentally delayed. This includes clinically significant delays in cognitive function or the presence of other Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD).
Organic Brain Injury: Children must not have a history of head trauma, neurological disorder, or any other organic disorder that could possibly affect brain function.

Treatment and study plan

Methylphenidate

Drug

18 mg methylphenidate

Other names: Concerta

Placebo

Drug

Placebo

Primary outcomes

Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder Total Sum Score of All 18 ADHD Symptom Items

Time frame: end of first week, end of second week, end of third week, end of fourth week. Total of 4 weeks.

Parent and teacher Vanderbilt ADHD Rating Scales - Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder Total sum score of all 18 ADHD symptom items - range equals 0-54

O - No ADHD symptoms 54 - Highest ADHD symptoms

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Response Variability in Children With ADHD

Important dates

Study start: 2006
Primary completion: 2009
Study completion: 2009
First posted: Nov 11, 2010
Registry last updated: Apr 4, 2012

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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