Methylphenidate (MPH), a medication found in popular ADHD drugs, may be affecting the white matter development in the brains of children, a new study found. Researchers also found that these medications affected the brains of children differently than the brains of adults.
About ADHD
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a commonly diagnosed condition in American children. Symptoms of this condition include the inability to focus and concentrate. Many children who are diagnosed with this condition are prescribed medication. Approximately 5.2% of all children in the United States between 2 and 17 years old take these medications, many of whom will continue to consume the medication daily into adulthood. MPH is commonly prescribed to patients as Ritalin or Concerta. MPH has been found to be quite effective in the treatment of ADHD.
About the Study
Researchers from the University of Amsterdam sought to analyze the impact of MPH on the development of white matter in the brains of children. The brain’s white matter is responsible for carrying signals to different portions of the brain and serves an important role in the ability to learn and for the brain to function.
Researchers studied 99 boys and men with ADHD. None of the study subjects had taken MPH before the study. Researchers said they were the first to study patients who all had not been prescribed the medication in question in order to help determine how MPH affects brain development. These participants were separated into two groups. One group consisted of people who took an MPH medication daily for 16 weeks. The other group took a placebo daily. Before and after the drug trial period, each patient had an MRI that assessed the patients’ white matter levels. The tests provided readings on white matter for the following:
- Nerve fiber density
- Size
- Protection through coating
The study was published in Radiology, the scientific journal.
Study Findings
Researchers found that boys who had taken MPH during the trial period experienced an increase in white matter FA. The same effect was not observed in the adult males who took MPH. Researchers concluded that ADHD medications can have different effects for developing brain structure in children when compared to adults. Changes in FA measures were not seen in the boys or adult men who took the placebo.
Researchers believe the analysis shows that MPH influences children’s brain structure development and emphasize that when contemplating prescribing a child MPH, the potential effects should be carefully assessed. Researchers recommend only using MPH on children who definitively suffer from ADHD and are significantly affected by ADHD on a daily basis.
