Methylphenidate and Desipramine in Hospitalized Children: I. Separate and Combined Effects on Cognitive Function

The separate and combined effects of methylphenidate and desipramine on cognitive function were investigated in 16 psychiatrically hospitalized children with primary, secondary, and mixed features of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and mood disorder. A double-blind, placebo controlled, crossover design was used to investigate drug effects on vigilance, short-term memory, visual problem solving, and higher-order learning. Methylphenidate alone improved vigilance, both drugs positively affected short-term memory and visual problem solving, and combined drugs affected learning of higher-order relationships. Separate and combined drug effects are related to the specific cognitive domain assessed and have implications for neurotransmitter models of action.