ADHD drugs don't work the way we thought

4 months ago

ADHD stimulant medications work by activating brain systems related to reward and wakefulness rather than directly improving attention.
Brain scans show that these drugs increase alertness and make tasks feel more rewarding, helping children stay engaged.
The study suggests that stimulants may mask symptoms of sleep deprivation, potentially leading to misdiagnosis of ADHD.
Children with ADHD who took stimulants showed better school performance, especially those with severe symptoms or insufficient sleep.
Researchers caution that using stimulants to compensate for poor sleep may have long-term negative effects.
The findings highlight the need to evaluate sleep quality in children being assessed for ADHD.

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