A study that appeared in the journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reports that children who had been prescribed Ritalin for ADHD were still affected by the condition eight years later.

A July 7 article by Kim Thomas of the New Zealand-based website stuff.co.nz provided the following details about the study:

Researchers reassessed participants when they were in their teens and found they had higher than average levels of delinquency, aggression, and arrests by police than the general population. ...

University of Canterbury psychologist Dr Julia Rucklidge, an ADHD expert, said the research showed Ritalin was a "band aid" which gave some short-term relief for sufferers and their parents, but had no long-term effect.

Rucklidge said the study was significant because it highlighted the need for a fresh look at Ritalin prescribing and at new treatments.

"Ritalin has been seen as this amazing drug but this research is showing that really it is just acting as a band-aid. While it improves behaviour in the short term, it has no lasting effects. These kids continue to struggle in the long term despite taking Ritalin."

Labels: research, ritalin

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A research team at Weil Cornell Medical College has discovered some potential long-term effects of Ritalin use on brain development. The study was conducted on very young rats that were given injections of Ritalin from the time they were seven to 35 days old.

"The changes we saw in the brains of treated rats occurred in areas strongly linked to higher executive functioning, addiction and appetite, social relationships and stress," the study's senior author, neuroscience professor Dr. Teresa Milner, wrote. "These alterations gradually disappeared over time once the rats no longer received the drug."

According to July 18 article on the www.news-medical.net, Dr. Miner also reported that that the study emphasizes the degree of caution that doctors must use in diagnosing ADHD before prescribing Ritalin. For example, the brain changes noted in the study would be helpful for someone with ADHD, but could harm an individual with healthy brain chemistry.

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A Norwegian study of 24 boys (ages 8 to 12) has led researchers to conclude that a single dose of the popular ADHD medication Ritalin can lead to short-term improvements in muscle control and movement among children with a specific type of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Amy Norton of the Reuters News Service reported on the study in a June 4 article:

The study, reported in the online journal Behavioral and Brain Functions, focused on 24 boys newly diagnosed with hyperkinetic disorder (HKD), a diagnosis nearly identical to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder-combined type (ADHD-C).

Children with ADHD-C commonly have increased muscle tension, which can hinder normal movement. This, in turn, may manifest as problems such as stiffness, restlessness as a child repeatedly shifts to get comfortable, and even poor handwriting, explained Liv Larsen Stray of the University of Stavanger, the lead researcher on the study.

"Our study shows that a single dose of methylphenidate typically led to improvement of the muscular tone and to a more fluent movement in children with ADHD-C/HKD," Stray told Reuters Health.

Stray's report was first published May 13 on the website of the journal Behavioral and Brain Functions.

Labels: medications, Attention_Deficit_Hyperactivity_Disorder, ritalin, motor_skills

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Officials from George Washington University are warning students about the use of "study drugs" such as Ritalin and Adderall as a means of staying focused. They caution that these drugs could be harmful to those who have not received a prescription, reports, the student newspaper, The George Washington Hatchet.

Drugs, such as Ritalin and Adderall, are stimulants that are used to treat symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Individuals diagnosed with the condition often exhibit impulsivity, difficulties concentrating and excessive talking. However, in those who take the drug without a prescription, "hyper-focused" and allowing them to stay alert for longer periods of time are among the effects experienced.

While this might entice students to take the drug, officials from the school told the news source that the risks of the drug outweigh the benefits. Furthermore, possible side effects include increased blood pressure, panic attacks, and hallucinations.

They added that when students obtain medication from friends or buy them illegally, they do not know the dosage or potential side effects, which puts them at risk of overdosing. Combining stimulants with caffeinated drinks or alcohol could lead to seizures or even death.

According to a 2008 study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, nearly 1.9 million kids between the ages of 12 and 17 used prescription drugs to get high.

Labels: adderall, ritalin, substance_abuse

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A Nov. 16 article by Kate Sikora of The Daily Telegraph has revealed that New South Wales (NSW) now lead all of Australia in the number of children who are receiving medication for ADHD. As Sikora's article indicates, this news has prompted concern from those who believe that ADHD medications such as Ritalin and Adderall are being over-prescribed:

Of the 57,419 Australian children on ADHD medications, more than a third are from NSW.

Figures released by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) show 22,824 children were prescribed Strattera, Dexamphetamine or Methylphenindate last year - up from 18,593 in 2007.

Aggressive marketing and a flood of new ADHD drugs on the market were being blamed for the rise, as well as "enthusiastic" prescribing doctors.

Anti-ADHD drug campaigner, West Australian Labor MP Martin Whitely, said governments and doctors needed to take action. "NSW is the hot spot. It's the ADHD capital," he said.

Labels: medications, adderall, ritalin

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A Jan. 3 article on the Daily Health Report website indicates that physicians are ignoring warnings about over-prescribing Ritalin to children with ADHD:

Although many experts have warned about the dangers of children using stimulant drugs like Ritalin frequently, doctors continue prescribing these drugs at an alarming rate.

In 2008, the national average of Ritalin prescriptions for children with Attention Deficit Hyper-activity Disorder (ADHD) was about 40 percent. However, that figure has since grown to more than 80 percent.

Evident during a study in  a St. Mary’s Hospital, 446 of the 529 cases of ADHD were treated using some kind of stimulant drug.

While stimulant drugs have long been known to help children with ADHD alleviate symptoms, new studies have shown the opposite effects.

Labels: ritalin, stimulants

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