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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychiatry
Sec. ADHD
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1475889
Neural markers of methylphenidate response in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and the impact on executive function
Provisionally accepted- West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. A core cognitive deficit in ADHD is executive function (EF) impairment, which significantly impacts daily life. Methylphenidate (MPH) is a widely used first-line treatment for ADHD, but objective biomarkers to assess treatment response are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of MPH on executive function and identify potential neural biomarkers of response in children with ADHD using electroencephalogram (EEG). Methods: A total of 26 boys with ADHD (mean age 8.64 ± 1.30 years) participated in the study. All participants were treated with 18 mg/day of oral extended-release MPH in the morning for 8 weeks. Executive function was assessed using the BRIEF2 and Digit Span Test (DST), and eventrelated potentials (ERP) were measured at baseline and after 8 weeks of MPH treatment. Results: After 8 weeks of MPH treatment, significant improvements were observed in several executive function domains. BRIEF2 scores, including inhibition, self-monitoring, shifting, emotional control, initiation, working memory, planning/organisation, task monitoring, and material organization, were significantly reduced (P < 0.05). Behavioral performance in the Go/NoGo task also improved, with shorter correct response times and higher accuracy rates (P = 0.002, P = 0.009). EEG results revealed
Keywords: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Children, Executive Function, Methylphenidate, P300
Received: 08 Aug 2024; Accepted: 24 Feb 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Wang, Yang, Yang, Yang, Yang, Wen, Wang, Liu and Luo. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Rong Luo, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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