BİLİMSEL YAZILAR
Use of Methylphenidate for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Patients With Epilepsy or Electroencephalographic Abnormalities
Original Article
Use of Methylphenidate for Attention-Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder in Patients With Epilepsy
or Electroencephalographic Abnormalities
Kıvılcım Gucuyener, MD;* A. Kemal Erdemoglu, MD;* Selahattin Senol, MD;* Ays¸e Serdaroglu, MD;
Sebnem Soysal, PhD; A. Ilden Kockar, PhD
ABSTRACT
Methylphenidate is commonly believed to lower seizure threshold. The safe use of methylphenidate has not been clarified
in patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and concomitant active seizure or electroencephalographic
(EEG) abnormalities. Patients with ADHD and active seizures (n = 57) and patients with ADHD and EEG abnormalities
(n = 62), 6 to 16 years of age, were included in the study. The safety and efficacy of treatment with antiepilepsy drugs combined with methylphenidate were determined by assessing seizure frequency, changes in ADHD symptoms, the Conners’
Rating Scales, EEG differences, and side effects. The Conners’ Rating Scales, performed by parents and teachers, and
mean total ADHD symptom scores at the beginning of the study and at the end were significantly different (P = .05 for
the Conners’ Rating Scales and P = .001 for ADHD symptom scores). Methylphenidate had a beneficial effect on EEG.
Seizure frequency did not change from baseline. The side effects of methylphenidate were mild and transient. Methylphenidate
is safe and effective in children with ADHD and concomitant active seizures or EEG abnormalities. (J Child Neurol
2003;18:109–112).
Multicomponent attention deficits in attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder
BIRIM GÜNAY KILIÇ, md ,1 S¸AHNUR S¸ENER, md ,2 AYLIN ILDEN KOÇKAR, phd2 AND
SI˙REL KARAKAS¸ , phd3
1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ankara University School of Medicine, 2Gazi University
Medical Faculty, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and 3Department of Experimental
Psychology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to examine the specific aspects of attention, such as selective attention,
sustained attention,and short-term memory in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,
combined subtype (ADHD-C).Atotal of 40 children with a diagnosis ofADHDfrom the 4th edition
of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, aged 6–11 years old were compared with 40 controls
matched for age and gender on a battery of tests. Short-term memory span and attention was
measured by VisualAural Digit Span Test–Revised. Stroop test and the Turkish version of Cancellation
Test were used to assess selective and sustained attention, respectively. In order to check for
factor structure in two groups on the test scores, principal component analysis was conducted for
both groups separately. Relative to the comparison children, children with ADHD showed significant
deficits on tests that are related to different aspects of attention.The results are consistent with
the theories explaining the biological basis ofADHD by scattered attention networks in the brain,
which have reciprocal dynamic interactions. Further comparative studies are needed to elucidate
whether the cognitive processes that are known to be assessed by these tests are specific toADHD
Personality, Social Support, and Anxiety among Adolescents Preparing for University Entrance Examinations in Turkey
AYLIN ILDEN KOCKAR
Gazi University
TULIN GENCOZ
Middle East Technical University
This study aimed to investigate the importance of different sources of perceived social support, sociotropic and autonomic personality dispositions, achievement expectation, and importance of academic achievement in predicting anxiety symptoms of male and female students who were preparing for the university entrance exam. Three hundred and forty students with ages varying from 16 to 21 participated in the study.
Separate multiple regression analyses were run for males and females in predicting anxiety symptoms. The total Sociotropy score and the total Social Support score predicted anxiety for females, whereas for males, anxiety was predicted by four variables, namely. Achievement Expectancy, Concern over Approval, Social Support from Family, and Social Support from Friends. Implications of these results were discussed.
Öğrenme Güçlüğü Olan Bir Grup Hastanın WISC-R Profillerinin İncelenmesi
A. Şebnem SOYSAL*, Aylin İLDEN KOÇKAR**, Emel ERDOĞAN***, Selahattin ŞENOL****, Kıvılcım GÜCÜYENER*#
ÖZET
Öğrenme yaşam boyu devam eden, sadece yeni bir beceri kazanma ya da akademik bir konuda uzmanlaşmayı değil, duygusal gelişmeyi, toplumsal etkileşimi ve kişilik gelişimini de içeren çok yönlü bir süreçtir. Bu süreçte ortaya çıkan aksaklıklar kişinin tüm yaşantısını etkileyebilmektedir. Öğrenme güçlüğü olan çocuklarda yalnızca akademik başarıda düşüklük görülmez, tüm yaşam alanları sorundan etkilenir. Bu nedenlerle öğrenme güçlüğünün; zihinsel işlevler üzerindeki etkilerini anlama çabası beraberinde dikkat, algılama ve yorumlama yetilerinin değerlendirilmesinde etkin olarak kullanılabilecek test bataryalarının geliştirilmesine yol açmıştır. Bu bataryalar içerisinde yer alan en etkin testlerden biri Wechsler Çocuklar için Zeka Ölçeği'dir (WISC-R).
