Ritalin News and Research

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ADHD drug could serve as a cocaine-replacement therapy

Cocaine use continues to be a public health problem, yet despite concerted efforts, no drugs have been approved to resolve cocaine addiction. Research suggests that the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder drug methylphenidate (MPH; Ritalin) could serve as a cocaine-replacement therapy, but clinical results have been mixed.

30 Aug 2023

Prescription stimulants safe for treating ADHD, study finds

Many parents whose kids take prescription stimulants like Ritalin to treat ADHD worry that it could lead to illicit drug use later.

11 Jul 2023

End of covid emergency will usher in changes across the US health system

The Biden administration's decision to end the covid-19 public health emergency in May will institute sweeping changes across the health care system that go far beyond many people having to pay more for covid tests.

22 Mar 2023

Researchers gain new insights into ADHD drug's mechanism of action

For decades, doctors have treated kids with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with methylphenidate, a stimulant drug sold as Ritalin and Concerta, making it one of the most widely prescribed medications aimed at the central nervous system.

8 Dec 2022

Human gene variant in ADHD, autism exposes sex-dependence of neuronal signaling mechanisms

The prevalence, age of onset, and clinical symptoms for virtually all neuropsychiatric disorders differ between men and women. Among the disorders with pronounced sex bias are Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), where the ratio of males/females diagnosed is approximately 4 to 1.

21 Sep 2022

Study shows prevalence and misdiagnosis of post-concussive syndrome in children after mild head injury

A new study by Tel Aviv University, Kaplan Medical Center and Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh) found that one in four children (25.3%) who have been discharged from the emergency room after a mild head injury are misdiagnosed and continue to suffer from persistent post-concussion syndrome for many years.

24 Mar 2022

Few-foods diet leads to a significant decrease in ADHD symptoms

Children whose ADHD symptoms were drastically reduced after following a few-foods diet showed increased activity in a specific part of the brain.

22 Nov 2021

Stimulant users more likely to drink heavily and use other drugs, study finds

College students who misuse stimulant drugs or nootropics like Adderall or Ritalin are also likely to drink heavily and use other drugs, according to new research from the University of Georgia.

28 Sep 2021

With a diagnosis at last, Black women with ADHD start healing

Miché Aaron has always been a high achiever. The 29-year-old is in her third year of a planetary sciences doctoral program at Johns Hopkins University, where she researches minerals found on Mars. She's a former NASA space grant scholar and hopes to become an astronaut one day.

20 Jul 2021

Study analyzes two different classes of drugs in a large group of preschoolers with ADHD

In a multi-institutional study, researchers in the Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Research Network (DBPNet), led by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), have conducted the first and largest analysis to date comparing the effectiveness and side effects of stimulants like methylphenidate (Ritalin) and alpha-adrenergic agonists like guanfacine (Tenex) in preschool-age children.

5 May 2021

Study provides the most detailed picture on stimulant use by LGB individuals

Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) individuals report higher rates of medical, non-medical, and illegal stimulant use compared to heterosexuals, mirroring patterns seen in other substance use.

24 Sep 2020

Neuroscientists map brain's sensory gatekeeper in unprecedented detail

Many people with autism experience sensory hypersensitivity, attention deficits, and sleep disruption. One brain region that has been implicated in these symptoms is the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), which is believed to act as a gatekeeper for sensory information flowing to the cortex.

22 Jul 2020

How Ritalin works: focus on benefits rather than costs of work

A new study published in the journal Science shows that brain stimulant drugs like Ritalin, often used to treat concentration problems in conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), work in a different way than commonly thought.

19 Mar 2020

Methamphetamine undermines success in treatment for opioid-use disorder

Judith Tsui, a UW Medicine clinician specializing in addiction treatment, was seeing more and more patients she was treating for opioid-use disorder also using methamphetamines, a powerful, highly addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system.

8 Dec 2019

First device-based, non-drug therapy for treating ADHD in children

Deciding how to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children can be a difficult decision for parents. Stimulants, such as Adderall and Ritalin, are the most commonly prescribed ADHD treatments -; and are considered to be the most effective.

8 Nov 2019

Pediatricians stand by meds for ADHD, but some say therapy should come first

When children are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, stimulant medications like Ritalin or Adderall are usually the first line of treatment.

30 Sep 2019

Study looks at effects of Ritalin on children with ADHD

When children with ADHD don't respond well to Methylphenidate (MPH, also known as Ritalin) doctors often increase the dose.

9 Sep 2019

Study analyzes the prevalence of antipsychotic use in youths with ADHD

Although fewer young people with ADHD are treated with antipsychotic drugs than suspected, many prescriptions for the drugs do not appear to be clinically warranted, according to a new study from psychiatry researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

26 Jul 2019

ADHD drug raising risk of psychosis

A new study has found that teenagers and youngsters who are treated with amphetamines such as Adderall are at a greater risk of developing psychosis compared to patients who are on other drugs such as Ritalin. The results of the study were published in the latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

21 Mar 2019

Saffron may be a promising herbal alternative for treating ADHD

A new short-term pilot study in children and teens 6-17 years old with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder has shown saffron to be as effective at controlling symptoms as methylphenidate, the commonly prescribed drug Ritalin.

21 Feb 2019