Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2012 Sep;2(5):661-77.
doi: 10.1002/brb3.78. Epub 2012 Jul 23.

Prescription stimulants in individuals with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: misuse, cognitive impact, and adverse effects

Shaheen E Lakhan  1 , Annette Kirchgessner
Affiliations

Prescription stimulants in individuals with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: misuse, cognitive impact, and adverse effects

Shaheen E Lakhan et al. Brain Behav. 2012 Sep.

Abstract

Prescription stimulants are often used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Drugs like methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), and dextroamphetamine-amphetamine (Adderall) help people with ADHD feel more focused. However, misuse of stimulants by ADHD and nonaffected individuals has dramatically increased over recent years based on students' misconceptions or simple lack of knowledge of associated risks. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the use and increasing misuse of prescription stimulants among high school and college students and athletes. Given the widespread belief that stimulants enhance performance, there are in fact only a few studies reporting the cognitive enhancing effects of stimulants in ADHD and nonaffected individuals. Student athletes should be apprised of the very serious consequences that can emerge when stimulants are used to improve sports performance. Moreover, misuse of stimulants is associated with dangers including psychosis, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, and even sudden death. As ADHD medications are prescribed for long-term treatment, there is a need for long-term safety studies and education on the health risks associated with misuse is imperative.

Keywords: Amphetamine; athletes; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; cognition; methylphenidate; misuse; performance; students.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Advokat C. What are the cognitive effects of stimulant medications? Emphasis on adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 2010;34:1256–1266. - PubMed
    1. Advokat CD, Guidry MS, Martino BA. Licit and illicit use of medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in undergraduate college students. J. Am. Coll. Health. 2008;56:601–607. - PubMed
    1. Alsidawi S, Muth J, Wilkin J. Adderall induced inverted-Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Catheter. Cardiovasc. Interv. 2011;78:910–913. - PubMed
    1. Amariles P. A comprehensive literature search: drugs as possible triggers of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Curr. Clin. Pharmacol. 2011;6:1–11. - PubMed
    1. American Psychiatric Association. DSM-IV-TR. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. - PubMed