Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurobehavioral disorder in children and adolescents and often persists into adulthood. You reading this may have it or know someone with it.
Exercise and physical activity may help those with the diagnosis. Current treatment guidelines for ADHD recommend a multimodal approach, comprising psychopharmacological as well as psychotherapeutic and psychoeducational interventions. However, in light of a considerable proportion of non-responders to medication, several side-effects, as well as personal preferences, there is a strong need to develop alternative treatment approaches.
Physical exercise has been shown to improve cognitive functions in healthy and clinical populations. Since functions frequently impaired in ADHD seem to benefit the most from physical exercise, exercise may be highly relevant for the treatment of ADHD. Several studies have already demonstrated that a single session of aerobic exercise (i.e., acute exercise) can lead to immediate improvements in executive functions in children with ADHD.
Adults with ADHD showed improved reaction times during a flanker task following 30min of exercising compared to a control condition, which we interpreted as enhancements in attentional processes and speed of processing due to acute exercise.
Previous studies have demonstrated that changes in brain plasticity due to exercise can lead to improvements in cognitive function94–96. Thus, investigating exercise effects in patients showing more severe impairments as well as long-term effects of exercise in ADHD could be a topic for future investigations.
Exercise Helps ADHD. 2012/12/18/. ASHA Leader, 17(15), pp. 3.
