Methylphenidate and haloperidol in children. Effects on attention, memory, and activity.
Twenty-four hyperactive or unsocialized-aggressive children participated in an exploratory double-blind crossover study comparing the cognitive effects of methylphenidate hydrochloride (0.3 mg/kg), two doses (0.25 and 0.05 mg/kg) of haloperidol, and inert placebo. Each subject received each of four drug conditions, drug order being randomized by a Latin square design. At the end of each 18-day trial period, attention, immediate recognition memory, reaction times, and seat activity were tested. While drug effects were small, methylphenidate and, to a lesser extent, the low dose of haloperidol, facilitated performance, whereas there was some suggestion that the high dose of haloperidol may have caused a slight deterioration in performance. These results are contrasted with effects on social behavior where the latter improved behavior. No differences attributable to diagnosis were found.
D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006948:Hyperkinesis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010919:Placebos; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*
D010919:Placebos; D008774:Methylphenidate; D006220:Haloperidol