Acute Physical Activity, Executive Function, and Attention Performance in Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Typically Developing Children: An Experimental Study

Martina Miklós; Dániel Komáromy; Judit Futó; Judit Balázs

doi:10.3390/ijerph17114071

Acute Physical Activity, Executive Function, and Attention Performance in Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Typically Developing Children: An Experimental Study

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Jun 7;17(11):4071. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17114071.

Authors

Martina Miklós^{1

2}, Dániel Komáromy^{2

3

4}, Judit Futó², Judit Balázs^{2

5}

Affiliations

¹ Doctoral School of Psychology, Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Izabella St. 46, 1064 Budapest, Hungary.
² Department of Developmental and Clinical Child Psychology, Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Izabella St. 46, 1064 Budapest, Hungary.
³ Department of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
⁴ Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, 1018 WV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
⁵ Department of Psychology, Bjørknes University College, Lovisenberggata 13, 0456 Oslo, Norway.

Abstract

A growing number of studies support the theory that physical activity can effectively foster the cognitive function of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The present study examines the effect of acute moderate physical activity on the executive functions and attention performance of (1) typically developing children (without psychological, psychiatric or neurological diagnosis and/or associated treatment stated in their medical history); (2) treatment-naïve ADHD children; and (3) medicated children with ADHD. In the current study, a total sample of 150 (50 non-medicated, 50 medicated, and 50 typically developing) children between the ages of 6 and 12 took part in the experiment. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI Kid) was used to measure ADHD and the child version of the Test of Attentional Performance (KiTAP) was applied to evaluate the children's attentional and executive function performance before and after two types of intervention. In order to compare the effects of physical activity and control intervention, half of the children from each group (25 participants) took part in a 20-min long, moderately intense physical activity session on the 60-80% of their maximum heart rate, while watching a cartoon video. In the control condition, the other half of the children (25 participants) from each group watched the same cartoon video for 20 min while seated. Physical activity (compared to the just video watching control condition) had a significantly positive influence on 2 out of 15 measured parameters (median reaction time in the alertness task and error rates in the divided attention task) for the medicated group and on 2 out of the 15 measured variables (number of total errors and errors when distractor was presented, both in the distractibility task) regarding the treatment-naïve group. Future studies should focus on finding the optimal type, intensity, and duration of physical activity that could be a potential complementary intervention in treating deficits regarding ADHD in children.

Keywords: ADHD; attention; attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; executive function; physical activity; typically developing children.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* / physiopathology
Attention*
Child
Child Development
Cognition
Executive Function*
Exercise
Female
Humans
Male