Methylphenidate is a stimulant used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Studies illustrate that the children and teens who benefit from the medication are less likely to abuse drugs. Children with untreated ADHD are at a higher risk for substance abuse issues.
A new study connects the benefits of methylphenidate with substance abuse treatment. Ritalin, the brand name for methylphenidate, has proved to help cocaine addicts with impulse control. Impulse control is a major factor in addiction.
Researchers from Yale University gave 10 volunteers Ritalin and then used functional MRI scans while they performed a computer task that measured impulse control. When the volunteers took Ritalin, they were better able to control their impulses than when they received a placebo of the medication. The MRI scans showed changes from Ritalin use in the areas of the brain the reflect impulse control. The change was significant in the region of the brain called the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. This area of the brain is crucial in regulating "behavioral control during emotionally difficult situations," the study authors wrote. "And Ritalin appears to help normalize it."
