Effects of Extended-Release Methylphenidate Treatment on Cognitive Task Performance in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective:To examine the effectiveness of four doses of psychostimulant medication, combining extended-release methylphenidate (ER-MPH) in the morning with immediate-release MPH (IR-MPH) in the afternoon, on cognitive task performance. Method:The sample comprised 24 children (19 boys and 5 girls) who met theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition Text Revision(DSM-IV-TR) criteria for an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on theAutism Diagnostic Interview-Rand theAutism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, and had significant symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This sample consisted of elementary school-age, community-based children (mean chronological age = 8.8 years, SD = 1.7; mean intelligence quotient = 85; SD = 16.8). Effects of placebo and three dose levels of ER-MPH (containing 0.21, 0.35, and 0.48 mg/kg equivalent of IR-MPH) on cognitive task performance were compared using a within-subject, crossover, placebo-controlled design. Each of the four MPH dosing regimens (placebo, low-dose MPH, medium-dose MPH, and high-dose MPH) was administered for 1 week; the dosing order was counterbalanced across children. Results:MPH treatment was associated with significant performance gains on cognitive tasks tapping sustained attention, selective attention, and impulsivity/inhibition. Dose/response was generally linear in the dose range studied, with no evidence of deterioration in performance at higher MPH doses in the dose range studied. Conclusion:The results of this study suggest that MPH formulations are associated with significant improvements on cognitive task performance in children with ASD and ADHD.