Effects of osmotic‐release methylphenidate in attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder as measured by event‐related potentials

Abstract

AIM: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a relatively common central nervous system disorder in school-age children, which may involve a specific disorder in cognition and/or information processing. Event-related potentials (ERP) are commonly used as physiological measures of cognitive function as they are easily measured and non-invasive. Thus, in the present study, we examined the effects of osmotic-release methylphenidate (MPH) (Concerta), a common treatment for childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in ADHD children as measured by ERP. METHODS: Ten ADHD children participated after giving consent. Based on the guidelines for evoked potential measurement, mismatch negativity (MMN) and P300 were obtained by auditory odd-ball tasks. We measured both MMN and P300 in the drug-naive condition and after intake of osmotic-release MPH. RESULTS: The MMN amplitudes after intake of osmotic-release MPH were significantly greater than those in the drug-naive situation at Pz and C4. The P300 amplitudes after intake of osmotic-release MPH were significantly greater than those in the drug-naive situation at Cz and Pz. CONCLUSION: MMN and P300 are sensitive tools for measuring the pharmacological effects of osmotic-release MPH in ADHD children.