Inspiring Minds seeks to broaden awareness and impact of graduate student research, while enhancing transferable skills. Students were challenged to describe their research, scholarship or creative activity in 150 or fewer words to share with our community.
Beverly-Ann Hoy
MA candidate, Faculty of Education
Hyperactivity: Friend or Foe?
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in executive functioning, particularly inhibitory control – the suppression of predominant responses. Children with ADHD are often singled out for their hyperactivity at school, leading to worse academic and emotional outcomes. Interestingly, recent work suggests that hyperactivity may play a functional role, rather than harm children with ADHD. Hyperactivity may be used to compensate for hypo-cortical arousal, aiding in enhanced executive functioning. It is evident that physical activity has powerful effects on executive functioning in children with ADHD, therefore, physical activity and hyperactivity may share similar effects on neural mechanisms. The current study aims to investigate the neurocognitive effects of simultaneous physical activity (desk cycle) and a cognitive task (Stroop task) in children with and without ADHD. Combined physical and cognitive activity may be an effective intervention to help mediate executive functioning difficulties while learning in the classroom.
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