August 9, 2002

A research team, led by Joseph Biederman, MD, MGH director of Pediatric Psychopharmacology, has found that a long-acting form of the stimulant medication Adderall is effective in controlling symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children when taken in a single morning dose. The standard form of Adderall, which is made up of several amphetamine-based drugs, is effective for only four hours. This new formulation joins other long-acting stimulants, such as extended-release methylphenidate (Ritalin), in giving patients with ADHD a greater choice of medications. The report appears in the August issue of Pediatrics.

More than 500 children aged 6 to 12 who met standard diagnostic criteria for ADHD enrolled in the study at 47 sites across the country. The four-week, double-blinded study compared different dosages of the timed-release medication. Participants received weekly evaluations from their physicians, and both parents and teachers completed weekly evaluations of the children's behavior at home and at school.

Based on the results of the evaluations, even a 10 mg dose of the timed-release medication produced significant behavioral improvements versus placebo throughout the day and into the evening. Higher dosages produced greater improvement, with a 30 mg dosage producing the best evaluations from both teachers and parents. No major adverse side effects were reported.

"Long-acting stimulants are beneficial for children with ADHD, who otherwise have to go to the nurse's office during the school day to receive their medication. And timed-release dosage avoids having frequent peaks and valleys of medication levels, giving the patient a more stable therapeutic environment," says Biederman. "This medication gives us another treatment opportunity for those who cannot tolerate other stimulant drugs."