Effects of Acute Exercise on Resting EEG in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

• Published in: Child psychiatry and human development Vol. 49; no. 6; pp. 993 - 1002
• Main Authors: Huang, Chung-Ju, Huang, Ching-Wen, Hung, Chiao-Ling, Tsai, Yu-Jung, Chang, Yu-Kai, Wu, Chien-Ting, Hung, Tsung-Min
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.12.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Alertness; Arousal; Arousal - physiology; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - physiopathology; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Boys; Brain - physiopathology; Case-Control Studies; Child; Child & adolescent psychiatry; Child and School Psychology; Children; Cross-Over Studies; EEG; Electroencephalography; Exercise; Exercise - physiology; Humans; Hyperactivity; Male; Original Article; Physical training; Psychiatry; Psychology; Resting; Inhibition; Physical activity; EEG ratios; Cognitive benefits
• ISSN: 0009-398X; 1573-3327
• DOI: 10.1007/s10578-018-0813-9

This two stage study examined the effects of acute exercise on resting electroencephalographic (EEG) patterns of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The first stage compared the neural oscillatory patterns of children with and without ADHD. Resting EEGs were recorded under an open-eyes condition from 24 boys with ADHD and 28 matched controls. The second stage of the study employed a randomized cross-over trial design. The 24 boys with ADHD engaged in a 30-min intervention that consisted of either running on a treadmill or watching a video on alternative days, with resting EEGs recorded before and after treatment. The first stage found that children with ADHD exhibited significantly higher theta/beta ratios over the midline electrodes sites than controls. The second stage further indicated that children with ADHD displayed smaller theta/beta ratios following the exercise condition compared with the video-watching condition. This finding suggests that acute exercise normalizes arousal and alertness of children with ADHD, as reflected in resting EEG readings.