Does Physical Activity Improve Sustained Attention in Adults with ADHD?

Abstract

Physical activity has been shown to improve cognitive performance in children with ADHD. However, it is unknown whether this effect translates to adults with ADHD. The current study aimed to establish whether there is a link between high physical activity and better sustained attention in adults with ADHD. 12 adults with ADHD and 24 neurotypical controls completed a gradual contrast-change detection task designed to measure sustained attention and were subsequently split into low and high physical activity subgroups based on self-reported physical activity levels. No significant differences in sustained attention were found between the low and high physical activity subgroups in individuals with or without ADHD. However, reaction time variability was found to be significantly lower in individuals with ADHD. These findings suggest that the effect of physical activity on sustained attention may not be as pronounced in adults with ADHD as compared to children.