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Interaction of attention and graphomotor functions in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

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Neuropsychiatric Disorders An Integrative Approach

Part of the book series: Journal of Neural Transmission. Supplementa ((NEURALTRANS,volume 72))

Abstract

The present article provides a review of a series of studies in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) concerning (1) the effects of methylphenidate on various attentional functions, (2) the stimulant-induced changes of both qualitative and quantitative (i.e. kinematic) aspects of handwriting, (3) the interaction between conscious control of handwriting and fluency of handwriting movements, and (4) possible therapeutic approaches to graphomotor disturbances. Children with ADHD showed impairments in various aspects of attentional functioning. Pharmacological treatment of ADHD children with methylphenidate resulted in marked improvements of various components of attentional functioning. In comparison to the performance following the withdrawal of methylphenidate, children with ADHD on methylphenidate displayed a significant improvement in task accuracy in the areas of vigilance, divided attention, selective attention (inhibition, focused attention and integration of sensory information) and flexibility. However, the comparison with healthy children revealed considerable deficits regarding vigilance, divided attention, flexibility and selective attention (focused attention and integration of sensory information) in children with ADHD on methylphenidate. The comparison of writing movements of children on and off methylphenidate revealed that medication resulted in a better handwriting, but a deterioration in handwriting fluency as assessed by kinematic analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, 93040, Regensburg, Germany

    Professor K. W. Lange

  2. School of Psychology, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, U.K.

    L. Tucha & O. Tucha

  3. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany

    S. Walitza & M. Gerlach

  4. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Regensburg District Hospital, Regensburg, Germany

    M. Linder

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  1. Professor K. W. Lange
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  4. M. Gerlach
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Würzburg, Germany

    M. Gerlach

  2. Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Würzburg, Germany

    Jürgen Deckert

  3. Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, Sydney, Australia

    K. Double

  4. Institut für Virologie und Immunobiologie, Würzburg, Germany

    E. Koutsilieri

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Lange, K.W., Tucha, L., Walitza, S., Gerlach, M., Linder, M., Tucha, O. (2007). Interaction of attention and graphomotor functions in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In: Gerlach, M., Deckert, J., Double, K., Koutsilieri, E. (eds) Neuropsychiatric Disorders An Integrative Approach. Journal of Neural Transmission. Supplementa, vol 72. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-73574-9_31

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