Titrating methylphenidate in children with AD(H)D: is body mass predictive of clinical response? J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1997 Apr;36(4):523-30

No direct relationship in children between body size and methylphenidate dose.

Methylphenidate effects on EEG, behavior and performance in boys with ADHD. Pediatr Neurol 1998 Mar;18(3):244-50

Although methylphenidate induced regional changes in the EEG under certain task-specific conditions, it had no global effects (effects all over the brain). Behavioral and performance measures improved with methylphenidate.

Safety issues in the use of methylphenidate: An American Perspective Drug Saf 1997 Sep;17(3):143-8

Methylphenidate is the most widely used psychotropic medication in children in the US. It is both well-tolerated and efficacious in the treatment of ADHD, and is associated with few serious adverse effects. However, the abuse for the purpose of experiencing a high is hazardous.

Effect of methylphenidate on the cognitive and personality functioning of ADHD children. Israel Journal Psychiatry Related Sciences 1997

Comparison of methylphenidate and placebo treatment revealed no differences in any of the measures assessing cognitive ability and personality characteristics.

Effects of methylphenidate on extracellular dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine: comparison with amphetamine. J Neurochem 1997 Sept

Methylphenidate induced changes in dopamine and it’s metabolites were consistent with changes induced by other uptake blockers, and the magnitude of the dopamine response was considerably less than with amphetamine. Same with norepinephrine. Methylphenidate had no effect on serotonin. (This means amphetamines like Dexedrine and Adderall are pore potent than Ritalin in affecting dopamine "receptors" in the brain, and that amphetamines may temporarily treat depression while the medication is in the system.)

Optimizing ADHD therapy with sustained-release methylphenidate. Am Fam Physician 1997 Apr

Sustained release methylphenidate has been shown to have efficacy equal to that of the regular release formulation and may be preferable when it is difficult or impossible to provide midday doses. Proper management of ADHD includes choosing the proper medication dosage, minimizing side effects of medications and periodically reevaluating the patient’s progress.

Methylphenidate in early poststroke recovery: a double blind, placebo controlled study. Arch Phys Med Rehab 1998 Sep

Methylphenidate appears to be a safe and effective intervention in early poststroke rehabilitation that may expedite recovery.

Effects of methylphenidate on attentional function after traumatic brain injury. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 1997 Nov-Dec

Methylphenidate produced a significant improvement in the speed of mental processing. Most aspects of sustained attention, and measures of motor speed were unaffected. Methylphenidate may be a useful treatment of traumatic brain injury, bus is primarily useful for symptoms that can be attributed to slowed mental processing.

Methylphenidate treatment for cocaine abusers with adult ADHD: a pilot study. J Clin Psychiatry

Cocaine use decreased significantly (confirmed by urine toxicologies) in those given methylphenidate.

Methylphenidate therapy improves cognition, mood, and function of brain tumor patients. J Clin Oncol 1998 Jul

Those with malignant brain tumors given methylphenidate 10mg twice daily significantly improved gait, improved stamina and motivation to perform activities, and improved bladder control (one patient). There was no increase in seizure frequency, patients were able to lower their steroid dosages, and improved function occurred even with progressive deterioration documented on MRI.

Neuropharmacologic treatment of hemineglect: a case report comparing bromocriptine and methylphenidate Arch Phys Med Rehabil 1998 Mar;79(3):346-9

Hemineglect (ignoring one side of the body) from a brain lesion improved with methylphenidate, although bromocriptine more effective. The neglect was worse after stopping methylphenidate.

Effects of methylphenidate in children with ADHD: a comparison of event-related potentials between medication responders and non-responders. Int. J. Psychophysiol 1997 Jul;27(1):9-14

Both cognitive (thinking) and event related potentials (electrical signals) on EEG were found to differentiate non responders from responders to methylphenidate.

Clinical efficacy of methylphenidate in conduct disorder with and without ADHD Arch Gen Psychiatry 1997 Dec;54(12):1073-80

Methylphenidate has short term positive effects on children and adolescents with conduct disorder. Key aspects of antisocial behavior appear to be responsive to treatment. This effect was independent of severity of the children’s initial ADHD symptoms.

Biphasic inotropic effects of methamphetamine and methylphenidate on ferret papillary muscles J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 1997 Dec;30(6):744-9

"...the negative inotropic effects of (both medications) may be important with clinically used and abused concentrations of these drugs and may be difficult to reverse with beta-adrenergic inotropic agents in case of toxicity." (Both medications in overdose can cause the heart to pump less strongly)

Effects of methylphenidate on spatial working memory and planning in healthy young adults. Pyschopharmacology (Berl) 1997 May;131(2):196-206

Methylphenidate influences performance in two conflicting ways: enhancing executive aspects of spatial function on novel tasks, but impairing previously established performance. Two separate arousal mechanisms may be present.

Differences between Ritalin and D-amphetamine stimulated release of [3H] dopamine from brain slices suggest impaired vesicular storage of dopamine in an animal model of ADHD. Behav Brain Res 1998 Jul;94(1):163-71

Methylphenidate might be the drug of choice in the treatment of ADHD because it releases dopamine from vesicular stores only and is less potent than D-amphetamine, this making it possible to adjust the dose and thereby "normalize" reduced dopamine function more precisely than is possible with D-amphetamine.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome and methylphenidate Pediatr Neurol 1998 Oct;19(4):

A relative GABA-ergic deficiency precipitated the onset of neuroleptic malignant syndrome and significant ischemic brain damage - the first reported case of neuroleptic malignant syndrome caused by methylphenidate. Methylphenidate normally doesn’t cause this side effect.

Comparison of acute behavioral effects of sustained-release and immediate-release methylphenidate Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 1998 Nov;6(4):367-74

Less abuse potential with "sustained release" (SR) form of methylphenidate at 20-40mg doses.

Methylphenidate and brain dopamine neurotoxicity Brain Res 1997 Aug 29;767(1):172-5

"...methylphenidate, unlike amphetamine, lacks dopamine neurotoxic potential, and strongly suggest that dopamine efflux, although perhaps necessary, is not sufficient for the expression of amphetamine-induced dopamine neurotoxicity. (Amphetamines like Dexedrine and Adderall have the potential to cause nerve damage in the brain.)

Effects of methylphenidate on regional brain glucose metabolism in humans: relationship to dopamine D2 receptors Am J Psychiatry 1997 Jan;154(1):50-5

Methylphenidate induced variable changes in brain metabolism, but it consistently increased cerebellar metabolism. It also induced a significant reduction in relative metabolism in the basal ganglia. The significant association between metabolic changes in the frontal and temporal cortices and in the cerebellum and D2 receptors suggests that methylphenidate’s metabolic effects in these brain regions are due in part to dopamine changes and that differences in D2 receptors may be one of the mechanisms accounting for the variability in response to methylphenidate.

Differences in regional brain metabolic responses between single and repeated doses of methylphenidate. Psychiatry Res 1998 Jul 15;83(1):29-36

Single doses tend to increase metabolism, repeated doses to decrease metabolism.

Methylphenidate in terminal depression. J Pain Symptom Manage 1998 Sep;16(3):193-8

1/7 respond in the last 6 weeks of life. Higher doses may be indicated.

Effectiveness of methylphenidate in Native American children with fetal alcohol children with fetal alcohol syndrome and attention deficit/hyperactive disorder. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 1998

Methylphenidate improved scores of hyperactivity index, but not daydreaming/attention.

Children with ADHD and tic disorder and their classmates: behavioral normalization with methylphenidate. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1997 May

Although conventional doses of methylphenidate produced dramatic clinical improvement in ADHD-related behavior, complete behavioral normalization is often not attained.

Effects of methylphenidate on preschool children with ADHD: cognitive and behavioral functions. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1997 Oct

Methylphenidate at doses of 0.3-0.5mg/kg improved function of preschool-age children with ADHD, similar to school-age children, with minimal side effects (slightly increased with the higher dose).

Epilepsy and ADHD: is methylphenidate safe and effective? J Pediatr 1997 Jan;130(1):40-4

Methylphenidate is effective in treating children with epilepsy who are seizure free, not in those with active seizures.

Effects of methylphenidate on aggressive urban children with ADHD. J Clin Child Psychol 1998 Oct

Methylphenidate helped with aggressive behavior and ADHD symptoms, but at home few differences were found compared with placebo.

Selective effects of methylphenidate in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a functional magnetic resonance study. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1998 Nov (Stanford U)

ADHD is characterized by atypical frontal-striatal function and that methylphenidate affects striatal activation differently in ADHD than in healthy children.

Response to growth hormone in ADHD: effects of methylphenidate and pemoline therapy. Pediatrics Aug 1998.

The magnitude of the effect for both drugs is small and should not deter the use of concurrent therapy.

Effects of methylphenidate and expectancy of ADHD children’s performance, self-evaluations, persistence, and attributions on a cognitive task. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 1997 Feb

This study showed methylphenidate was effective when compared to placebo regarding performance and task persistence. No adverse effects were found.