Short term effects of methylphenidate on the cognitive, learning and academic performance of children with attention deficit disorder in the laboratory and the classroom

Sixteen children meeting diagnostic criteria for Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity (ADD-H) were tested on methylphenidate (0.3 mg/kg) and placebo on cognitive, learning, academic and behavioral measures in a double-blind study. Assessments were carried out in the laboratory and in the children's regular classrooms. Results indicate methylphenidate-induced improvements on a majority of the measures. Drug-induced changes reflected increased output, accuracy and efficiency and improved learning acquisition. There was also evidence of increased effort and self-correcting behaviours. It is argued that reviewers have underestimated the potential of stimulants to improve the performance of ADD-H children on academic, learning and cognitive tasks.