A few weeks ago I discussed a research study that examined the effects of the medication Concerta (methylphenidate) on performance variability during cognitive tasks in children with ADHD. But does this translate to improvements in school work? Does the research support the effectiveness of ADHD meds in more tangible outcomes, such as grades or academic achievement?

Surprisingly, there is a lack of longitudinal long term research exploring the effectiveness of ADHD medication across multiple grades. Instead, most ADHD research examining academic outcomes are relatively short (within one year) or have very small sample sizes. However, in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Richard Scheffler and a team from the University of California at Berkeley, reported the findings of a comprehensive long term examination of the effectiveness of ADHD medications on academic achievement. Read More

A university-based randomized, placebo controlled research study of Concerta (methylphenidate), examines the effects of methylphenidate in regulating attention lapses.

Research studies on the neurocognitive profiles (memory, attention, executive functioning, etc) of kids with attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder have one common denominator: there is no unified or common neuropsychological profile that characterizes ADHD. That is, there is no specific pattern of memory, language, attention, etc., deficits that are universally common in kids of ADHD. Such diverse neuropsychological profile reflects the heterogeneity and diversity of ADHD itself. However, there is one finding that is consistently observed in most studies. When compared to non-affected kids, those with ADHD have significantly variable or uneven performance across most tasks. This is noticeable on cognitive tasks that require sustained periods of attention. On these tasks, children with ADHD show marked within-task variability, oscillating between normative and impaired performance. Thus, instead of consistent impaired attention, most kids with ADHD show variable attention, or rapid “lapses” in attention.
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