title: Behavioral and electrophysiologic predictors of treatment response to stimulants in children with attention disorders.
abstract: Behavioral and quantitative electroencephalography (EEG) techniques were used to evaluate treatment response to stimulant therapy in children with attention disorders. A sample of 130 children with attention disorders were evaluated with Conners and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders--III rating scales, and with neurometric quantitative EEG before and 6 to 14 months after treatment with stimulants. Significant quantitative EEG differences were found between the normal control population (N = 31) and the children with attention problems. Quantitative EEG abnormalities involved increased theta or alpha power, greatest in frontal regions, frontal theta/alpha hypercoherence, and posterior interhemispheric power asymmetry. Behavioral improvement after stimulant treatment was seen in 81.5% of the children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and 44.7% of the children with attention-deficit disorder, with the degree of correspondence between behavioral and quantitative EEG changes at 78.5%. Pretreatment clinical and quantitative EEG features could predict treatment response with a sensitivity of 83.1% and a specificity of 88.2%. A combined behavioral and quantitative EEG approach can be useful for following and predicting treatment response to stimulants in children with attention disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Brain Research Laboratories, New York University School of Medicine, NY, USA. bob@br14.med.nyu.edu
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Chabot
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Orgill
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Serfontein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000145:classification*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013881:Thioridazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008774:Methylphenidate; D013881:Thioridazine; D003913:Dextroamphetamine