ADHD Research News
New ADHD research studies referenced in this week's ADHD in the News:
- Aitken, Blair, et al. “Acute Administration of 10 Mg Methylphenidate on Cognitive Performance and Visual Scanning in Healthy Adults: Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.” Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental 40, no. 2 (2025): e70002. DOI: 10.1002/hup.70002.
- Referenced in “Study: Ritalin improves numeric memory but not overall cognition in non-ADHD adults (PsyPost, March 30, 2025)”
- Hauke-Gleißner, Julia, et al. “Neurocognitive and Emotional Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 Infections in Children and Adolescents: Results from a Clinical Survey in Bavaria, Germany.” BMC Infectious Diseases 25, no. 1 (March 26, 2025): 411. DOI: 10.1186/s12879-025-10813-w.
- Referenced in “Tests show emotional, behavioral problems in adolescents with long COVID CIDRAP (Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy, Research and Innovation Office, University of Minnesota, March 27, 2025)”
- Karasavva, Vasileia, et al. “A Double-Edged Hashtag: Evaluation of #ADHD-Related TikTok Content and Its Associations with Perceptions of ADHD.” PLOS ONE 20, no. 3 (March 19, 2025): e0319335. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0319335.
- Referenced in “Put a finger down if TikTok has made you think you have ADHD (The Conversation, April 2, 2025)”
- Lachance, Kelly-Ann, et al. “Listening Habits and Subjective Effects of Background Music in Young Adults with and without ADHD.” Frontiers in Psychology 15 (January 22, 2025). DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1508181.
- Referenced in “Music to their ears (udem nouvelles | Universite de Montreal, April 2, 2025)”
- Manza, Peter, et al. “Neural Basis for Individual Differences in the Attention-Enhancing Effects of Methylphenidate.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 122, no. 13 (April 2025): e2423785122. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2423785122.
- Referenced in “Researchers Reveal Key Brain Differences to Explain Why Ritalin Helps Improve Focus in Some More Than Others (University of Maryland School of Medicine, April 2, 2025)”
- Uzlu, Dilek, et al. “An Examination of the Ocular Effects of Methylphenidate Used in Children and Adolescents Diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.” International Ophthalmology 45, no. 1 (March 14, 2025): 104. DOI: 10.1007/s10792-025-03471-z.
- Referenced in “Methylphenidate may impact corneal cells in children with ADHD (Ophthalmology Times, April 3, 2025)”
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Diagnosis, Treatment, and Telehealth Use in Adults — National Center for Health Statistics Rapid Surveys System, United States, October–November 2023
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), October 10, 2024, 73(40);890–895
In 2023, an estimated 15.5 million U.S. adults had an ADHD diagnosis, approximately one half of whom received their diagnosis in adulthood. Approximately one third of adults with ADHD take stimulant medication; 71.5% had difficulty filling their prescription because the medication was unavailable. Approximately one half of adults with ADHD have ever used telehealth for ADHD services.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children Ages 5–17 Years: United States, 2020–2022
NCHS Data Brief No. 499, March 2024
Data from the National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2020–2022, finds that 11.3% of children ages 5-17 in the U.S have ever been diagnosed with ADHD. See the breakdown by age group, race, ethnicity, family income, and insurance coverage at General Prevalence of ADHD.
Who Provides Outpatient Clinical Care for Adults With ADHD? Analysis of Healthcare Claims by Types of Providers Among Private Insurance and Medicaid Enrollees, 2021
Journal of Attention Disorders, March 18, 2024
This study from CDC researchers and CHADD PAB co-chair, Craig Surman, MD, finds that family practice physicians, psychiatrists, and nurse practitioners/psychiatric nurses were the most common providers for adults using employer-sponsored insurance, although the distribution of provider types varied across states. Lower percentages of adults with Medicaid received ADHD care from physicians. Approximately half of adults receiving outpatient ADHD care received ADHD care by telehealth.
ADHD medication and risk of cardiovascular diseases
Commentary by CHADD PAB member, Russell J. Schachar, MD, on Zhang et al. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medications and Long-Term Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases, JAMA Psychiatry, November 22, 2023.
Trends in Stimulant Prescription Fills Among Commercially Insured Children and Adults—United States, 2016-2021
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 31, 2023
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Summary:
What is already known about this topic?
Prescriptions for stimulants, primarily used to treat attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), were increasing for adults before the COVID-19 pandemic. Policies enacted during the pandemic expanded access to prescription stimulants via telehealth.
What is added by this report?
The percentage of adolescent and adult females and adult males receiving prescription stimulant fills increased during 2016-2021, particularly during 2020-2021.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Growing recognition of ADHD in adults and increases in prescription stimulant fills raise questions about current adult ADHD care. Development of clinical recommendations for diagnosing and managing adult ADHD could help guide safe and appropriate stimulant prescribing. Evaluation of policies enacted during the pandemic could identify benefits and harms of those policies.
