Methylphenidate Hydrochloride

THURSDAY, March 26, 2026 -- For individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ), sustained treatment with methylphenidate is not associated with the risk for nonaffective psychosis , according to a study published online March 25 in JAMA Psychiatry . Colm Healy, Ph.D., from the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom, and colleagues estimated the relationship between methylphenidate treatment and the risk for nonaffective psychosis in children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD in a cohort study using data from multiple national Finnish registries for all 697,289 individuals born from 1987 to 1997. The researchers found that 69.0 percent of the 3,956 individuals diagnosed with ADHD received methylphenidate at least once. Overall, 5.7 percent of individuals were diagnosed with nonaffective psychosis by a mean age of 22.16 years. Substantial variation was seen in hospital district prescribing propensity (first-year range, 0.07 to 0.30). In the overall ADHD sample, sustained methylphenidate treatment was not associated with the risk for nonaffective psychosis. A reduced risk for nonaffective psychosis was seen among individuals diagnosed in childhood (age younger than 13 years) in secondary analyses (three-year risk difference, −0.24; four-year risk difference, −0.21). For those diagnosed in adolescence, an insufficiently strong instrument precluded the same secondary analyses. "The fact that early treatment was associated with a lower long-term risk of psychosis suggests these medications may do more than manage symptoms in childhood -- they may also have longer-term protective effects against severe mental illness, though this requires further research," lead author Ian Kelleher, M.D., Ph.D., also from the University of Edinburgh, said in a statement. Two authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry. Abstract/Full Text

FRIDAY, March 20, 2026 — For millions of teens living with ADHD , the transition into adulthood adds more complexity and temptation to daily life. Substance abuse, on top of ADHD, can become a tricky landscape to navigate. New research from Penn State College of Medicine reveals that the very patients who could benefit from ADHD medication the most — those also struggling with drug or alcohol addiction — are the least likely to receive it. The study — published recently in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry — analyzed the health records of more than 1.2 million people between 15 and 25 years of age with ADHD. The findings suggest that withholding standard ADHD treatment due to fears of drug misuse may be putting them at greater risk. ADHD affects roughly 12% to 17% of U.S. teens, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can cause impulsive, hyperactive behavior and trouble paying attention that make daily life a struggle. For about half of these individuals, those symptoms eventually lead to a substance use disorder (SUD), according to researchers. Among those with a SUD in the study, the most common substances used were nicotine (65%), cannabis (42%) and alcohol (27%). While clinicians often worry that prescribing stimulants like Adderall or Ritalin to someone with an addiction history is adding fuel to the fire, the data tells a different story. The researchers found that when young adults with both conditions stayed on their ADHD medication, they saw a 30% reduction in their risk of death over five years. These patients also had fewer accidental overdoses and were less likely to harbor thoughts of self-harm. “For young adults with ADHD and substance use disorder, appropriate treatment for ADHD could potentially save lives,” lead author Dr. Raman Baweja , a professor of psychiatry at Penn State University, said in a news release. “Clinicians shouldn’t hesitate to provide evidence-based ADHD treatment when it is indicated.” Despite the benefits of treatment, the study pointed to hesitation on the part of some doctors because some ADHD meds, particularly central nervous system stimulants, are controlled substances. Once a young person was diagnosed with a substance use problem, prescriptions for new stimulants dropped by 17%, the study found. Ongoing treatments were also cut by 15%. The study noted that patients on stimulants had a 4% lower rate of suicide attempts compared to those on non-stimulant alternatives. “Although CNS stimulants are first-line, evidence-based treatments for ADHD, some clinicians appear hesitant to prescribe them in patients with substance use disorder,” Baweja noted. “Our findings suggest that, when used appropriately, treating ADHD — including with stimulants — can be associated with significantly better outcomes.” Researchers are now expanding their work to look at adults up to age 65. They plan to investigate how factors like race, ethnicity and gender play into these treatment gaps. Sources Penn State College of Medicine, news release, March 12, 2026 Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Dec. 17, 2025