The article examines various studies of ADHD and finds that individuals both with and without ADHD misuse stimulant medications, therefore suggesting careful monitoring of high-risk individuals.

Recent research has suggested that intra-individual variability in reaction time (RT) distributions of children with ADHD is characterized by a particularly large rightward skew that may reflect lapses in attention. The purpose of the study was to provide the first randomized, placebo-controlled test of the effects of the stimulant methylphenidate…

Objective: This study examines why college students without a prescription take ADHD medication, what they perceive the consequences of this to be, and whether attention problems are associated with this behavior. Method: More than 3,400 undergraduates attending one public and one private university in the southeastern United States completed a…

A study to examine suicide-related events in acute, double-blind, and placebo controlled trials with atomoxetine is conducted. Results conclude that the incidences of suicide were more frequent in children suffering from ADHD treated with atomoxetine as compared to those treated with placebo.

Subjective improvement-assessment in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), following a single dose of methylphenidate (MPH) was compared to performance on the Test-of-Variables-of-Attention (TOVA). Self-perception was assessed with the clinical-global-impression-of-change (CGI-C). Participants included 165 ADHD subjects (M:F ratio…

Objective: The effect of stimulant medication on exercise responses was studied in 14 boys (10.9 plus or minus 1.1 years) with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method: Exercise, with and without medication, was performed at 25 W, 50 W, and 75 W, followed by a peak exercise test. Result: Submaximal heart rate (HR) was significantly…

The dopamine transfer deficit model of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is compared and contrasted with the existing dynamic developmental theory and the extended temporal difference (TD) model. The first two both identify learning deficits as a key problem in ADHD, but this mechanism would seem at least as likely to cause other…

Objective: To compare the morning and afternoon/evening functioning of children with ADHD treated in the community with either atomoxetine or long-acting stimulants and reported to be doing well. Method: 109 8- to 12-year-olds and their mothers participated in one of three groups: stimulants (STIM, N = 26), atomoxetine (ATMX, N = 25), or…

The article reviews existing literature on the effects of stimulant medications on the growth of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. It concludes that treatment with stimulants in childhood results in moderate growth deficit in height and weight.

Objective: To review the primary and secondary findings from the Multimodal Treatment study of ADHD (MTA) published over the past decade as three sets of articles. Method: In a two-part article--Part I: Executive Summary (without distracting details) and Part II: Supporting Details (with additional background and detail required by the complexity…

Purpose: The purpose of this tutorial is to provide speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with general information regarding the most commonly prescribed medications for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; e.g., central nervous system stimulants, noradrenergic reuptake inhibitors, alpha-2 adrenergic agonists, antipsychotics,…

Objective: This study assesses the misuse and diversion of prescribed attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications. Method: One hundred fifteen students, attending two universities, with prescriptions for ADHD medications completed a Web survey in spring 2007. Results: Eighty-nine of 115 students (69%) used their ADHD medications as…

Earlier research showed that divided attention, an aspect of executive function, is limited in both children and adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The current study explored divided attention capacity in adults with ASD and without intellectual disability (n = 36). Divided attention was tested using a computerized variant of a…

Methylphenidate treatment is used for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and can improve learning and memory. Previously, improvements were considered a by-product of increased attention; however, we hypothesize that methylphenidate directly alters mechanisms underlying learning and memory, and therefore examined its effects on hippocampal…

Objective: This review was conducted to provide information on nonstimulant medications used to treat ADHD. Method: Previous investigations on several groups of nonstimulant medications were reviewed, and a discussion of antidepressants, antihypertensives, atypical antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, and cholinergic agents is included. Results: The…