Gamified Closed-Loop Intervention Enhances Tic Suppression in Children: A Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Gamification of behavioral intervention for tic disorders (TDs) potentially enhances compliance and offers key clinical advantages. By delivering immediate positive feedback upon tic-suppression, games may counteract negative reinforcement, which presumably contribute to tic consolidation by relieving uncomfortable premonitory urges. OBJECTIVES: We developed a gamified protocol (XTics), which leverages this potential by combining gamified tic-triggering with immediate feedback, and evaluated its clinical value in enhancing tic suppression. METHODS: XTics encompasses two conditions: Immediate and Contingent Reward (ICR), where game progression is contingent upon successful tic suppression, and Delayed Reward (DR), where game events' outcomes are random. Employing a randomized crossover design, 35 participants (aged 7-15 years) underwent daily gaming sessions over a week per condition. Improvements in our primary measures, including the inter-tic interval (ITI) and tic severity assessment by blinded evaluators (Yale Global Tic Severity-Total Tic Score [YGTSS-TTS], Rush), and parents (Parent Tic Questionnaire [PTQ]), were compared between ICR and DR, and assessed across conditions for the 4-week protocol. RESULTS: No participant voluntarily left the study before completing its two-phase protocol. As expected, ITI showed significantly larger improvement (Z = 4.19, P = 2.85 × 10-5) after ICR (1442 ± 2250%) versus DR (242 ± 493%) training, increasing at a higher pace (t(67) = 3.15, P = 0.0025). Similarly, Rush tic severity scores reduced more post-ICR versus DR (t(47) = 3.47, P = 0.002). We observed a clinically significant reduction of 25.69 ± 23.39% in YGTSS-TTS following a f4-week protocol including both conditions. Parent-reported tic severity decreased by 42.99 ± 31.69% from baseline to 3 months post-treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of gamified tic-triggering with immediate and contingent rewards demonstrates a promising approach for enhancing treatment efficacy in TDs, boosting traditional therapeutic methods. © 2024 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Impact of movie and video game elements on tic manifestation in children.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Children in developed countries spend a significant portion of their waking hours engaging with audiovisual content and video games. The impact of media consumption on children's health and well-being has been widely studied, including its effects on tic disorders. Previous studies have shown that tic frequency can both increase and decrease during activities like gaming and television watching, resulting in mixed findings. METHODS: To better understand the impact of audiovisual media on tics, we conducted a fine-grained tic manifestation analysis. We focused on the effects of the impact of a movie scene with suspensful elements and a video game designed to heighten anticipation, thought to stimulate phasic and striatal dopamine release. We closely monitored tic frequency throuhghout these experiences based on moment-to-moment tic annotation. The study included 20 participants (19 males aged 7-16) diagnosed with tic disorders (Yale Global Tic Severity Scale≥8), and we tested the replicability of our findings with an independent group of 36 children (15 females, aged 7-15) with tic disorders. RESULTS: During film viewing, we observed significant synchronization in the temporal tic patterns of various individuals despite diversity in their tic profiles. Furthermore, employing a video game developed for our study, we found that tic frequency increases during anticipation of a pending reward. This finding was replicated in a second experiment with an independent cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that tic frequency is affected by media elements in the short-term, and call for further investigation of the long-term impacts of exposure to such tic triggers.

Cranial and ventricular size following shunting or endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) in infants with aqueductal stenosis: further insights from the International Infant Hydrocephalus Study (IIHS).

PURPOSE: The craniometrics of head circumference (HC) and ventricular size are part of the clinical assessment of infants with hydrocephalus and are often utilized in conjunction with other clinical and radiological parameters to determine the success of treatment. We aimed to assess the effect of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and shunting on craniometric measurements during the follow-up of a cohort of infants with symptomatic triventricular hydrocephalus secondary to aqueductal stenosis. METHODS: We performed a post hoc analysis of data from the International Infant Hydrocephalus Study (IIHS)-a prospective, multicenter study of infants (< 24 months old) with hydrocephalus from aqueductal stenosis who were treated with either an ETV or shunt. During various stages of a 5-year follow-up period, the following craniometrics were measured: HC, HC centile, HC z-score, and frontal-occipital horn ratio (FOR). Data were compared in an analysis of covariance, adjusting for baseline variables including age at surgery and sex. RESULTS: Of 158 enrolled patients, 115 underwent an ETV, while 43 received a shunt. Both procedures led to improvements in the mean HC centile position and z-score, a trend which continued until the 5-year assessment point. A similar trend was noted for FOR which was measured at 12 months and 3 years following initial treatment. Although the values were consistently higher for ETV compared with shunt, the differences in HC value, centile, and z-score were not significant. ETV was associated with a significantly higher FOR compared with shunting at 12 months (0.52 vs 0.44; p = 0.002) and 3 years (0.46 vs 0.38; p = 0.03) of follow-up. CONCLUSION: ETV and shunting led to improvements in HC centile, z-score, and FOR measurements during long-term follow-up of infants with hydrocephalus secondary to aqueductal stenosis. Head size did not significantly differ between the treatment groups during follow-up, however ventricle size was greater in those undergoing ETV when measured at 1 and 3 years following treatment.

International Infant Hydrocephalus Study (IIHS): 5-year health outcome results of a prospective, multicenter comparison of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and shunt for infant hydrocephalus.

INTRODUCTION: One of the most important unanswered questions in pediatric hydrocephalus is determining whether treatment with endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) versus shunt results in improved health status and quality of life (QOL). To answer this, the International Infant Hydrocephalus Study (IIHS) was started in 2005 as a prospective, multicenter study to compare ETV and shunt in infants (< 24 months old) with symptomatic triventricular hydrocephalus from aqueductal stenosis. Herein, we present the 5-year primary outcome results. METHODS: IIHS utilized a prospective comprehensive cohort design, in which patients received ETV or shunt, based on either randomization or parental preference. For this analysis, we pooled the randomized arm and the parental preference arm, analyzing them together. At 5 years of age, children were assessed with the Health Utilities Index Mark 2 (HUI-2) (primary outcome) and the Hydrocephalus Outcome Questionnaire (HOQ), a measure of QOL. Results were compared in an analysis of covariance, adjusting for baseline variables including age at surgery and baseline development status. RESULTS: From a total of 158 patients who met eligibility criteria, complete 5-year outcomes were available on 78 (19 treated initially with shunt, 61 treated initially with ETV), assessed at a mean age of 62.1 months (SD 6.3). The mean 5-year HUI-2 utility score was 0.90 (SD 0.19) for ETV and 0.94 (SD 0.10) for shunt (p = 0.21). The mean 5-year HOQ overall score was 0.81 (SD 0.15) for ETV and 0.85 (SD 0.12) for shunt (p = 0.42). Similarly, there were no significant differences noted between 5-year HOQ subscores (cognitive, social-emotional, physical) or developmental measures at 1, 2, and 3 years. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first prospective direct comparison of long-term outcomes of ETV and shunt for infant hydrocephalus. These results suggest that overall health status and quality of life in this cohort of infants treated for aqueductal stenosis are high, with no significant difference between those treated initially with ETV or shunt. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT00652470.

Do You See It My Way? The Clinical Evaluation of ADHD by the Different Pediatric Subspecialties.

BACKGROUND: Six medical disciplines are responsible for assessment, diagnosis and treatment of people with attention deficiency hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Israel: family doctors, pediatricians, adult and child neurologists, adult and child psychiatrists. OBJECTIVES: To investigate differences in ADHD diagnostic practices between three different pediatric subspecialties in the clinical setting in order to establish a common ground for a future unified approach. METHODS: An anonymous web-based questionnaire was administered to child psychiatrists, pediatric neurologists and general pediatricians who are actively involved in ADHD diagnosis (n=104). RESULTS: Neurologists and pediatricians rarely use the mental status examination, while psychiatrists rarely perform a neurological or physical examination (P < 0.0001). A general clinical impression of learning abilities and/or neurodevelopmental skills was implemented more often by pediatric neurologists (P < 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The significant differences found between the three medical specialties with regard to the clinical evaluation of ADHD could be attributed, at least in part, to the ambiguity of available guidelines concerning the clinical examination, and to the adherence of each specialty to its own "skills." Larger surveys in other countries should be considered and an effort made to create a common, "inter-disciplinary" ground on this important part of ADHD evaluation, differential diagnosis, and research.

Cerebellar white matter pathways are associated with reading skills in children and adolescents.

Reading is a critical life skill in the modern world. The neural basis of reading incorporates a distributed network of cortical areas and their white matter connections. The cerebellum has also been implicated in reading and reading disabilities. However, little is known about the contribution of cerebellar white matter pathways to major component skills of reading. We used diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) with tractography to identify the cerebellar peduncles in a group of 9- to 17-year-old children and adolescents born full term (FT, n = 19) or preterm (PT, n = 26). In this cohort, no significant differences were found between fractional anisotropy (FA) measures of the peduncles in the PT and FT groups. FA of the cerebellar peduncles correlated significantly with measures of decoding and reading comprehension in the combined sample of FT and PT subjects. Correlations were negative in the superior and inferior cerebellar peduncles and positive in the middle cerebellar peduncle. Additional analyses revealed that FT and PT groups demonstrated similar patterns of reading associations within the left superior cerebellar peduncle, middle cerebellar peduncle, and left inferior cerebellar peduncle. Partial correlation analyses showed that distinct sub-skills of reading were associated with FA in segments of different cerebellar peduncles. Overall, the present findings are the first to document associations of microstructure of the cerebellar peduncles and the component skills of reading.

Tract Profiles of the Cerebellar White Matter Pathways in Children and Adolescents.

Intact development of cerebellar connectivity is essential for healthy neuromotor and neurocognitive development. To date, limited knowledge about the microstructural properties of the cerebellar peduncles, the major white matter tracts of the cerebellum, is available for children and adolescents. Such information would be useful as a comparison for studies of normal development, clinical conditions, or associations of cerebellar structures with cognitive and motor functions. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the variability in diffusion measures of the cerebellar peduncles within individuals and within a normative sample of healthy children. Participants were 19 healthy children and adolescents, aged 9-17 years, mean age 13.0 ± 2.3. We analyzed diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) data with deterministic tractography. We generated tract profiles for each of the cerebellar peduncles by extracting four diffusion properties (fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean, radial, and axial diffusivity) at 30 equidistant points along each tract. We were able to identify the middle cerebellar peduncle and the bilateral inferior and superior cerebellar peduncles in all participants. The results showed that within each of the peduncles, the diffusion properties varied along the trajectory of the tracts. However, the tracts showed consistent patterns of variation across individuals; the coefficient of variation for FA across individual profiles was low (≤20%) for each tract. We observed no systematic variation of the diffusion properties with age. These cerebellar tract profiles of the cerebellar peduncles can serve as a reference for future studies of children across the age range and for children and adolescents with clinical conditions that affect the cerebellum.

Diffuse excessive high signal intensity in low-risk preterm infants at term-equivalent age does not predict outcome at 1 year: a prospective study.

INTRODUCTION: The outcome of premature infants with only diffuse excessive high signal intensity (DEHSI) is not clear. We explored the relationship between DEHSI, white matter (WM) diffusion characteristics, perinatal characteristics, and neurobehavioral outcome at 1 year in a homogenous group of preterm infants without major brain abnormalities. METHODS: Fifty-eight preterm infants, gestational age 29 ± 2.6 weeks, underwent an MRI at term-equivalent age (TEA). Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales, neurological assessment, and Parental Stress Index (PSI) were performed at 1 year corrected age. These measures were compared between preterm infants according to DEHSI classification (none, mild, moderate). Diffusion tensor imaging was used in major WM volumes of interest to objectively measure the degree of WM maturation. RESULTS: No significant differences were detected in the perinatal risk characteristics, neurobehavioral outcome, and PSI at 1 year between infants with different DEHSI classifications. In infants with DEHSI, increased axial and radial diffusivities were detected in the optic radiations, centrum semiovale, and posterior limb of the internal capsule, indicating less advanced maturation of the WM. Significant correlations were detected between the time interval from birth to MRI and the WM microstructure in infants without DEHSI. CONCLUSION: DEHSI in premature infants is neither a predictive measure for short-term adverse neurobehavioral outcome nor related to perinatal risk characteristics. Extrauterine exposure time had a differential effect on WM maturational trajectories in infants with DEHSI compared to those without. We suggest DEHSI may represent an alteration in WM maturational characteristics. Further follow-up studies may verify later consequences of DEHSI in premature infants.

Late diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder-Journey, parents' concerns, and sex influences.

Despite increasing awareness for diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and initiating treatments early in life, many children and adolescents continue to be diagnosed at a relatively older age. Focusing on children who first received an ASD diagnosis at age six or older, this study aimed to describe the symptoms that parents reported when ASD was diagnosed, follow the patients' clinical trajectory prior to receiving the diagnosis, and describe differences in symptoms and prior diagnoses between males and females cases. We included 258 children (205 males and 53 females) who were first diagnosed with autism at age 6-18 in 2017-2018. We retrieved demographic information, neurologic and developmental symptoms, diagnoses, and medications dispensing history from the children's electronic medical charts. The data indicated that prior diagnoses of language delays and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were common among children with a late ASD diagnosis. Two thirds of the children were prescribed one or more medications to treat psychosocial and behavioral conditions before receiving a late ASD diagnosis. Difficulties in social relationships with peers were the leading reported symptoms by parents at the time of ASD diagnosis. Across these different domains, some differences were found between males and females, including a somewhat higher cognitive level in males, who were also more likely to present aggressive behavior.

Epilepsy and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents: An overview of etiology, prevalence, and treatment.

Epilepsy and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are closely connected and commonly seen in both children and adults. Each of the disorders has major psychosocial and quality of life (QOL) effects, and their co-occurrence makes coping even more challenging for both the patients and their families. Moreover, an adverse effect of some anti-seizure medications can potentially induce or exacerbate symptoms of ADHD on the one hand, while some ADHD medications may increase seizure risk on the other. The combination of proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment may improve or even prevent many of the complications associated with these conditions. The objectives of this review are to present the complex relationship between epilepsy and ADHD, looking into the pathophysiological, anatomical, and functional perspectives along with the psychosocial and QOL influences and the recommended treatment approaches in accordance with the latest literature.

Parental Reflective Functioning as a Moderator of the Link Between Prematurity and Parental Stress.

We examined group differences between parents, both mothers and fathers, of premature and full-term infants to determine whether they differed in their reports of subjective parenting stress and in their level of parental reflective functioning (PRF). We also tested whether each parent's reflective functioning moderated the links between birth status (prematurity vs. full-term) and parenting stress. A sample of 73 cohabiting, heterosexual Israeli families with a premature (28-36th week gestational age, N = 34) or full-term infant (37th week and above gestational age, N = 39) participated, comprising the two parents' groups. Infants' age averaged 7.07 months (SD = 1.28). Each parent completed the Parent Stress Inventory (PSI) individually to determine his/her subjective personal and childrearing stress levels. The Parent Development Interview (PDI-R2-S) was used to obtain each parent's PRF (self and child/relation-focused) level. Findings showed that the premature and full-term parents did not differ in their PSI scores or PRF levels. However, mothers' self-focused PRF moderated the link between prematurity and personal parenting stress, whereas fathers' self-focused PRF moderated the link between prematurity and childrearing parenting stress. Furthermore, fathers' and mothers' PRF operated differently in the premature and full-term parents' groups. The findings highlight the importance of mothers' and fathers' PRF in predicting parents' subjective stress in general and particularly in the case of infant prematurity. We discuss these findings and their relevance for preventive and therapeutic perinatal interventions.

Short-Term Vision-Related Ocular Side Effects of Treatment with Dexmethylphenidate for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Objective: To evaluate the short-term effect of dexmethylphenidate (D-MPH) on visual acuity (VA), pupil size, anterior chamber depth, and accommodation-convergence reflex in children treated with D-MPH for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method: Prospective cohort study including 15 patients aged 8-16 (11.58 ± 2.39) treated with D-MPH for ADHD. Patients were questioned for subjective complaints such as blurred vision and photosensitivity. An ophthalmic evaluation was performed twice; before and 1.5 hours after D-MPH administration. The examination included evaluation of best corrected visual acuity at distance and near, accommodation range, convergence range, 3D vision test (stereopsis), and anterior segment optical coherence tomography. Results: A significant association between change in pupil diameter and D-MPH treatment dose was demonstrated (p = 0.01). In addition, a positive correlation between complaints about blurred vision and pupil's size change was found (p < 0.05). There were no significant changes in VA, convergence range, stereopsis, accommodation range, or anterior chamber measures. Conclusions: Our findings provide support for the effect of stimulants on pupil diameter in a dose-dependent manner. No clinically significant differences in visual functions were found 1.5 hours after consumption of D-MPH. Institutional review board clinical trial refference no. 0122-17-TLV.

Blood pressure values in 8-12 year old children with a history of intrauterine growth retardation.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies have found that intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is closely related to hypertension and is associated with a reduced number of nephrons that may be a predisposing factor for the development of hypertension. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether blood pressure levels of children with a history of IUGR are higher than those of children without IUGR. METHODS: Diastolic, systolic and mean arterial blood pressure levels were measured in 64 children aged 8-12 years old with a history of IUGR (mean birth weight 1780 +/- 422 g) and compared with 64 age and gender-matched controls who had a normal birth weight (mean 3134 +/- 594 g). RESULTS: Contrary to previous reports, systolic blood pressure values were significantly lower in the IUGR group compared to the controls (91.6 +/- 11.3 vs. 96.6 +/- 13.9, P = 0.027). There was no difference in diastolic blood pressure values. In the IUGR group, systolic blood pressure correlated significantly with current weight (P < 0.01) and body mass index (P < 0.05), and diastolic blood pressure with weight gain between age 2 and 4 years (P < 0.05). None of the blood pressure values correlated with birth weight. CONCLUSIONS: Children born with IUGR have lower systolic blood pressure levels than matched controls at age 8-12 years. These data indicate that postnatal weight gain in this group has a greater impact on systolic blood pressure than birth weight.

Core experiences of parents of children with autism during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

LAY ABSTRACT: The lockdown and home isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic led to significant transformation in lifestyles. Being a parent in this situation was not easy for anyone, much less for parents of children with special needs. The shutting down of special education systems meant that parents lost a vital support network and had to be the sole full-time caregivers despite often lacking the skills to cope with this new and daunting situation. We interviewed parents and learned that the main difficulties faced by homebound autistic children stemmed from the change in routine, lack of special education services, limited physical space, and food- and sleep-related issues. Some children experienced worsening in behavioral, social, and developmental domains, yet others seemed to not only overcome the challenges of changing conditions but even benefit from them. The children's success or failure was directly related to how their parents coped. The key factors that enabled successful coping were the parents' ability to accommodate to the child's needs, their own creativeness and resourcefulness, and a generally positive outlook. The results of this analysis revealed that the best way to benefit autistic children caught up in drastic changes in their routine lifestyle is to invest in a strong support system for their parents.

Failure of Israeli pediatric residency curricula to cover child development and special education issues: results of a national survey on levels of knowledge.

BACKGROUND: There is an increasing prevalence of developmental difficulties among Israeli children. We aimed to assess whether pediatricians are equipped to diagnose and manage them. METHODS: We assessed the knowledge of basic child development issues and availability of services and content of special education systems among a randomly selected national sample of residents and senior Israeli pediatricians. This was done via an 70-itemed survey developed especially for this study which consisted of seven main subjects: developmental milestones, global developmental delay, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, protocol for referring to a child development institute, availability and facilities of special education systems, and medical conditions associated with developmental delay. RESULTS: A total of 310 pediatricians (an 86 % usable response rate) participated. The total median knowledge score was 32.1 % (IQR 17.8-53.5 %). Knowledge was significantly better among senior pediatricians (p < .001), those working in an office-based setting (p < .001), and those who were parents (p < .001) or had a family history of a developmental condition (p = .003). Most responders (94 %) felt that their resident training in child development was inadequate, and that they do not have sufficient access to resources and guidelines about child development and special education systems (80 %). CONCLUSIONS: The gap in knowledge on topics of child development and special education systems among Israeli pediatricians stems from inadequacies in the current curricula of pediatric residencies. The alarmingly low scores of our survey on these issues call for prompt revamping of the syllabus to include them.

The neurocognitive outcome of mild isolated fetal ventriculomegaly verified by prenatal magnetic resonance imaging.

OBJECTIVE: Neurocognitive outcome of preschool children, prenatal diagnosis of isolated mild ventriculomegaly compared with 2 control groups. STUDY DESIGN: Case-controlled study at the University Hospital of Tel Aviv between October 1999 and December 2002. Study groups consisted of 12 children with bilateral isolated mild ventriculomegaly, and 16 children with unilateral isolated mild ventriculomegaly, mean age 4.4 years, prenatally diagnosed by both ultrasound and fetal magnetic resonanace imaging. Control groups consisted of 16 children with normal prenatal magnetic resonance imaging and 16 regular kindergarten children. A neurodevelopmental examination and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children were performed. RESULTS: The neurodevelopmental and Kaufman scores were within normal range in the study groups. No significant differences between the study and control groups for most measures; however, Kaufman achievement score was significantly lower for the bilateral isolated mild ventriculomegaly group (P < .05) compared with the kindergarten children. CONCLUSION: Preschool children with isolated mild ventriculomegaly performed within normal range compared with the controls. Nevertheless, a significant percentage of the children demonstrated developmental difficulties, lower achievement scores, justifying early school years follow-up.

Virtual reality training to enhance behavior and cognitive function among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: brief report.

Purpose: To examine the feasibility and efficacy of a combined motor-cognitive training using virtual reality to enhance behavior, cognitive function and dual-tasking in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Methods: Fourteen non-medicated school-aged children with ADHD, received 18 training sessions during 6 weeks. Training included walking on a treadmill while negotiating virtual obstacles. Behavioral symptoms, cognition and gait were tested before and after the training and at 6-weeks follow-up. Results: Based on parental report, there was a significant improvement in children's social problems and psychosomatic behavior after the training. Executive function and memory were improved post-training while attention was unchanged. Gait regularity significantly increased during dual-task walking. Long-term training effects were maintained in memory and executive function. Conclusion: Treadmill-training augmented with virtual-reality is feasible and may be an effective treatment to enhance behavior, cognitive function and dual-tasking in children with ADHD.

[Prenatal imaging of the fetal brain--indications and developmental implications of fetal MRI].

Cerebral anomalies at birth account for approximately 9% of all isolated anomalies and are present in 15.9% of babies with multiple malformations and, thereby, warrant concern in antenatal diagnosis. Ultrasonography is the basic screening examination for the pregnant woman due to its efficiency, availability, low cost and real time capability. Many of the major anomalies can be diagnosed by ultrasound during the first trimester of pregnancy. However subtle abnormalities can be missed by ultrasonography or detected only in later stages of pregnancy. Fetal MRI has proved itself to be an effective adjuvant imaging tool and is indicated whenever there is a diagnostic query on ultrasound or a need to define a suspected brain anomaly. The information obtained from fetal MRI has significant implications for parental counseling regarding both the type of malformation as well as the neurological and developmental prognosis. Current indications for fetal MRI, focusing on various common fetal cerebral pathologies, will be addressed in this review.

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. RESULTS: At baseline, children with ADHD tended to walk with increased stride-to-stride variability compared to the controls during the single task condition (p = 0.09). During dual task walking, stride time variability was significantly reduced in the children with ADHD (p < 0.004), but not in the controls. In the children with ADHD, the placebo did not significantly affect stride-to-stride variability or the dual tasking response. In contrast, stride time variability was significantly reduced on MPH (p < 0.001) such that dual tasking no longer affected variability. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings demonstrate alterations in the gait of children with ADHD, support a cause and effect link between cognitive function and gait, and suggest that enhancement of attention abilities may, in certain populations, improve gait rhythmicity.