Gait in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder : effects of methylphenidate and dual tasking.

Background: Cognitive function and the loading of attention presumably play an important role in gait as well as in fall risk, but previous work has not demonstrated this in any cause-and-effect way.

Objectives: To gain insight into the relationship between gait and cognitive function, we sought: (1) To compare the gait rhythmicity (stride time variability) of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to controls, (2) To test the hypothesis that dual tasking leads to increased stride-to-stride variability in ADHD, and (3) To test whether pharmacological treatment that relieves ADHD symptoms reduces stride-to-stride variability.

Patients And Methods: Gait was quantified in children with ADHD and in age-matched healthy controls under single task and dual task conditions on three occasions: off medications (both groups) and, in the ADHD group, after double blinded, randomized administration of methylphenidate (MPH) or placebo.