Lerer R J, Lerer M P, Artner J
J Pediatr. 1977 Jul;91(1):127-32. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(77)80463-0.
Fifty children with minimal brain dysfunction who had handwriting deficits received methylphenidate or placebo under double-blind conditions. Twenty-six children (52%) showed improvement in hand-writing following treatment with methylphenidate for four weeks. One child receiving placebo had improvement in handwriting, but his handwriting improved further after he was switched to methylphenidate. In general, handwriting tended to deteriorate promptly when drug treatment was discontinued. Thirty-six patients (72%) receiving methylphenidate for four weeks were rated behaviorally improved by teachers; in contrast, seven children (14%) showed behavioral improvement following treatment with placebo. Improvement in attention and behavior, which was ascertained by the use of Conners' Abbreviated Teacher Rating Scale, did not always correspond with improvement in handwriting. Advances in handwriting skills following treatment with methylphenidate may have been directly related to improvement in fine motor coordination. Gains in handwriting were maintained for up to 26 months of follow-up in 21 children who received methylphenidate on a long-term basis.
50名有书写缺陷的轻微脑功能障碍儿童在双盲条件下接受了哌甲酯或安慰剂治疗。26名儿童（52%）在接受哌甲酯治疗四周后书写能力有所改善。一名接受安慰剂治疗的儿童书写能力有所改善，但在换用哌甲酯后其书写能力进一步提高。一般来说，停药后书写能力往往会迅速恶化。36名接受哌甲酯治疗四周的患者在行为上被教师评为有所改善；相比之下，7名儿童（14%）在接受安慰剂治疗后行为有所改善。通过使用康纳斯教师简评量表确定的注意力和行为改善并不总是与书写能力的改善相对应。哌甲酯治疗后书写技能的提高可能与精细运动协调能力的改善直接相关。21名长期接受哌甲酯治疗的儿童在长达26个月的随访中书写能力的提高得以维持。
