Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: The Stimulants

Psychostimulant medications have become a mainstay in the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This article discusses the domains best affected by these drugs and interactions with diagnosis, comorbid psychiatric problems, and developmental disorders. Also examined are the efficacy of long-acting methylphenidate; the evidence for a dissociation of cognitive and social effects of methylphenidate in the classroom; whether there is evidence for a ramp effect in the response to stimulants; whether adult patients with ADHD in partial remission respond to stimulants; and the effect of comorbid anxiety disorders on the response of children with ADHD to psychostimulants.