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Abstract

The primary diagnostic procedure for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the clinical interview, because psychological, neuropsychological, and neurological tests to date have not had sufficient specificity. Currently, there is no objective means to measure severity of ADHD, or the extent to which it is benefited by various dosages of medication. We recently reported that a certain EEG profile, the Consistency Index, occurring during the transition between two easy cognitive tasks clearly differentiated ADHD from non-ADHD boys between the ages of 8 and 12. The current study replicated this with older males (19-25) using different tasks, and a double blind, placebo versus Ritalin controlled crossover design. Seven ADHD subjects were found to have a significantly lower Consistency Index than 6 non-ADHD males while transitioning from 2 Simple tasks during placebo condition, while only the ADHD subjects demonstrated a significant improvement in their Consistency Index while on Ritalin. Similar but nonsignificant trends were observed while transitioning across Hard tasks.

Transcranial Electric Stimulation for Precision Medicine: A Spatiomechanistic Framework

“…Although the primary and causal consequences of Ritalin are at a local neurochemical level, it also has larger-multi-level effects. Quantitative EEG analysis (Merkel et al, 2000; Song et al, 2005), and EEG and MEG data (Wienbruch et al, 2005; Korostenskaja et al, 2008) have demonstrated its ability for changing brain rhythms at local, small network and large network levels. Furthermore, methylphenidate can induce neurochemical changes in local, small networks, and large networks.…”