title: ADDH and methylphenidate responders: effects on behavior controlled by complex reinforcement schedules.
abstract: One of the most effective treatments for children with Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity (ADDH) has been the prescription of methylphenidate (MPH). While laboratory-based evidence indicates that MPH effects may be rate-dependent, little is known about changes evinced in operant behavior controlled by complex reinforcement schedules. The present study examined the effects of several doses of MPH on the operant key-pressing behavior of 20 children with ADDH who were favorable responders to the drug. Following a drug-free training period, each child performed the task across all doses in a randomly assigned sequence under double-blind placebo control conditions. Rate-dependent effects were found for both high- and low-rate reinforcement schedules. The strength of these effects varied across dose. These results have implications for the nature of rate-dependent phenomena in humans and investigations of treatment parameters in the pharmacotherapy of children with ADDH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester 01655.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: DuPaul
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Rapport
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Vyse
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule
chemical_list: D008774:Methylphenidate