Stimulant Effects on Persistence of Motor Performance of Hyperactive Children

The effect of stimulant medication (methylphenidate) on thepersistence of the maze-tracking performance of 24 hyperactivechildren was assessed in drug and placebo conditions using adouble-blind design. There was no significant difference inerrors (overshooting the maze boundaries) in the initial alleysof the maze. However, while on placebo, patients seemed unableto persist in their performance starting from the midpoint ofthe task through to its completion and made significantly moreerrors over this section of alleys in the unmedicated statethan when on drug. These results suggest that while hyperactivechildren may be capable of giving adequate attention to a taskin its beginning stages, they cannot sustain attention as thetask progresses. Stimulant medication is effective in helpingthem to maintain their attention when it would otherwise beginto falter.