ADHD in Children
Visual Abstract
Effects of physical activity on executive function and motor performance in children with ADHD
Susanne Ziereis , Petra Jansen
Summarized by:
August 2, 2023
study source
Res Dev Disabil
March 2015
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What they studied
This study wanted to examine whether a 12-week fitness program could improve executive function and working memory in children with ADHD.
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What they found
Children who received the fitness program experienced significant improvements in their working memory.
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What this means
Physical fitness can be an effective part of a treatment program for ADHD.
Effects of physical activity on executive function and motor performance in children with ADHD
Objectives
ADHD can affect more than just attention and hyperactivity. Studies have shown that those with ADHD can also struggle with cognition and executive function:
Because of this effect, this study wanted to examine whether exercise could improve the impact of ADHD on cognition, without the need for medication.
Study Quote
Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often show major deficits in motor and cognitive abilities. Pharmacological treatment is commonly used to reduce ADHD symptoms. However, non-pharmacologic treatment methods would be preferred by parents, children and psychiatr...
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Methods
The study examined the effectiveness of a 12-week fitness program. Twenty-six children with ADHD were provided with one of two exercise programs. Their symptoms were compared with children with ADHD who did not receive an exercise program.
Study Quote
A total of 43 children with ADHD (32 boys and 11 girls) aged between seven and 12 years took part in the study. To investigate whether potential effects on executive functioning depend on the kind of PA, two different 12-week training programs were implemented. The study-design consiste...
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Results
The results showed that children who were given an exercise program experienced significant improvements in their working memory.
Children with ADHD demonstrated significant improvements in working memory after a fitness program.
Children who were provided with a fitness program also experience improvements in the Digit span forward test, which measures short-term verbal memory and working memory.
Children with ADHD demonstrated significant improvements in verbal working memory after a fitness program.
Study Quote
After the 12-week intervention period, several measures of the EG1 and EG2s significantly improved over time. Furthermore, between group comparisons demonstrated significant improvements in both EG1 and EG2 compared to the CG in variables assessing WM performance and motor performance.
Conclusions
These results show that physical activity may improve executive function, particularly working memory, in children with ADHD.
The authors concluded thatfitness can be an alternative treatment for children who don't want to take medication for their ADHD. It can also further improve working memory for those already on medication, though more research may be needed to confirm this.
Given that working memory is one of the most common deficits in ADHD, this research is promising.
Other non-medication therapies such as brain-training have also been shown to potentially improve working memory in ADHD:
Study Quote
These findings support the hypothesis that long-term PA has a positive effect on executive functions of children with ADHD, regardless of the specificity of the PA. The outcomes indicated that regular PA can be used as a complementary or alternative non-pharmacologic treatment for ADHD.