Long-term effects of stimulant medications on the brain: possible relevance to the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology
B Vitiello

Abstract

In spite of extensive data supporting the short-term efficacy and safety of stimulant medications in the treatment of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), only limited information is available on the long-term effects of these drugs. On one hand, it is unclear whether treatment of ADHD with amphetamine-like stimulant medications for extended periods of time during child development can carry negative consequences, as manifested by an increase in use of illicit drugs, higher incidence of mania, psychosis, or other manifestations of psychopathology. On the other hand, it is not known whether the beneficial effects of stimulants extend beyond acute symptomatic relief and affect important outcome variables, such as later psychopathology, educational achievement, antisocial behavior, and social or occupational status. Data from naturalistic follow-up of clinical samples are limited by lack of appropriate controls and self-selection biases that are difficult to determine and control. These studies have reached conflicting conclusions, although most of them found no lasting negative effects of chronic stimulant treatment. Studies in animals, mainly in rodents, indicate that repeated exposure to stimulants lea...Continue Reading

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