Molly McBride1, Carrina Appling2, Bradley Ferguson2,3,4, Alyssia Gonzalez5, Andrea Schaeffer1, Amanda Zand1, David Wang6, Alinna Sam1, Eric Hart4, Aneesh Tosh7, Ivan Fontcha8, Sophia Parmacek9, David Beversdorf10,11,12,13,14. 1. School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA. 2. University of Missouri Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, Columbia, MO, USA. 3. Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA. 4. Department of Health Psychology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA. 5. California State University, San Marcos, CA, USA. 6. School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. 7. Department of Child Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA. 8. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA. 9. Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA. 10. School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA. beversdorfd@health.missouri.edu. 11. University of Missouri Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, Columbia, MO, USA. beversdorfd@health.missouri.edu. 12. Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA. beversdorfd@health.missouri.edu. 13. Department of Health Psychology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA. beversdorfd@health.missouri.edu. 14. Departments of Radiology, Neurology, and Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, USA. beversdorfd@health.missouri.edu.
Abstract
RATIONALE: Common pharmacological treatments for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are central nervous system stimulants acting as norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitors. The noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems have been shown to impact performance on tasks assessing creativity. Some previous studies suggest higher performance on creativity tasks in ADHD. Stimulant medication has been shown to differentially impact creativity in those without ADHD. However, the full range of effects of stimulant medication on creativity in those with ADHD is not known. OBJECTIVES: This study examined the effects of stimulants on convergent and divergent tasks associated with creativity in adults with ADHD. METHOD: Seventeen adults diagnosed with ADHD who were prescribed stimulant medication attended two counterbalanced sessions: one after taking their prescribed stimulant dose and one after the dose was withheld. Participants completed convergent problem-solving (anagrams, Compound Remote Associates) and divergent generative (letter/semantic fluency, Torrance Test for Creative Thinking (TTCT)-Verbal) tasks. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in words generated on the semantic fluency task for the stimulant session. Additionally, significant increases were found in the stimulant session for originality, flexibility, and fluency scores on the TTCT. Stimulant medication did not have an effect on any of the problem-solving tasks. CONCLUSIONS: Stimulant medication enhanced verbal fluency in adults with ADHD but had no effect on convergent abilities. Furthermore, stimulants enhanced fluency, flexibility, and originality scores on the TTCT. Therefore, stimulants appear to have positive effects on divergent task performance in adults with ADHD, but not convergent tasks. This finding warrants further studies into the specific roles of norepinephrine and dopamine in this effect.
RATIONALE: Common pharmacological treatments for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are central nervous system stimulants acting as norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitors. The noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems have been shown to impact performance on tasks assessing creativity. Some previous studies suggest higher performance on creativity tasks in ADHD. Stimulant medication has been shown to differentially impact creativity in those without ADHD. However, the full range of effects of stimulant medication on creativity in those with ADHD is not known. OBJECTIVES: This study examined the effects of stimulants on convergent and divergent tasks associated with creativity in adults with ADHD. METHOD: Seventeen adults diagnosed with ADHD who were prescribed stimulant medication attended two counterbalanced sessions: one after taking their prescribed stimulant dose and one after the dose was withheld. Participants completed convergent problem-solving (anagrams, Compound Remote Associates) and divergent generative (letter/semantic fluency, Torrance Test for Creative Thinking (TTCT)-Verbal) tasks. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in words generated on the semantic fluency task for the stimulant session. Additionally, significant increases were found in the stimulant session for originality, flexibility, and fluency scores on the TTCT. Stimulant medication did not have an effect on any of the problem-solving tasks. CONCLUSIONS: Stimulant medication enhanced verbal fluency in adults with ADHD but had no effect on convergent abilities. Furthermore, stimulants enhanced fluency, flexibility, and originality scores on the TTCT. Therefore, stimulants appear to have positive effects on divergent task performance in adults with ADHD, but not convergent tasks. This finding warrants further studies into the specific roles of norepinephrine and dopamine in this effect.
Authors: Jessica K Alexander; Ashleigh Hillier; Ryan M Smith; Madalina E Tivarus; David Q Beversdorf Journal: J Cogn Neurosci Date: 2007-03 Impact factor: 3.225
Authors: William B Brinkman; Susan N Sherman; April R Zmitrovich; Marty O Visscher; Lori E Crosby; Kieran J Phelan; Edward F Donovan Journal: Acad Pediatr Date: 2011-11-30 Impact factor: 3.107