Background: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are heritable, clinically heterogeneous neuro-developmental disorders that frequently co-occur. There is an association between ADHD symptoms and weaknesses in cognitive processing speed. Similar results were found in ASD. Due to the overlapping cognitive deficits in ASD and ADHD and the possibility of their shared etiology there is a possible benefit in treating ADHD symptoms in ASD. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of MPH on processing speed in ASD+ADHD children.
Methods: Forty children aged 6-18 years diagnosed with ASD by DSM-5 criteria who also met DSM-5 criteria for ADHD were recruited. All children performed the MOXO-CPT for assessment of cognitive attention performance three times: twice while they are drug naïve and once an hour after taking a single dose of 10 MG methylphenidate.
Results: A significant difference (p<0.05) was found in the parameter of cognitive processing speed under the influence of MPH without change in other parameters.
Conclusion: The reaction to single dose MPH in ASD children with comorbid ADHD significantly improved cognitive processing speed, but did not change measured attention. Improving processing speed might affect every day functioning in children with ASD. This unique response warrants further studies, suggesting new targets for longitudinal research regarding treatment with stimulants in comorbid ASD/ADHD children and its influence on their total cognitive outcome. Evaluation of processing speed might help disentangle the neurobiological process underlying these conditions.
