Effects of reward and methylphenidate on heart rate response morphology of augmenting and reducing children.

In a group of attention and/or learning disordered children referred for a trial on methylphenidate, beat-to-beat analysis of heart rate (HR) to auditory stimuli showed the response to be affected by stimulus intensity, reward level, and drug condition (placebo or active). When the children were classified as augmenters or reducers on the basis of their event-related potentials to the 4 intensity levels, the reducers had significantly higher pretreatment HR response levels as well as quicker latencies to reach deceleration trough (anticipatory component) and acceleratory peak (rebound rise to the tones). The clinically titrated methylphenidate dosage levels for the subjects were related both to the augmenter-reducer classification and to pretreatment HR levels; that is, subjects who were ERP reducers and/or had higher HR levels, especially under reward conditions, were blindly titrated at higher levels than those who were augmenters and/or had lower HR levels.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes