Ritalin helps movement problems in ADHD

By Amy Norton

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Just one dose of the ADHD drug methylphenidate can temporarily improve affected children's muscular control and movement, a small study shows.

The study, reported in the online journal Behavioral and Brain Functions, focused on 24 boys newly diagnosed with hyperkinetic disorder (HKD), a diagnosis nearly identical to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder-combined type

(ADHD-C).

In this form of ADHD, children not only have attention problems, but also act impulsively and have difficulty sitting still and otherwise controlling their movement.

Norwegian researchers looked at the effects of a single dose of methylphenidate -- best known by the brand-name Ritalin -- on the boys' movement control.

Children with ADHD-C commonly have increased muscle tension, which can hinder normal movement.

This, in turn, may manifest as problems such as stiffness, restlessness as a child repeatedly shifts to get comfortable, and even poor handwriting, explained Liv Larsen Stray of the University of Stavanger, the lead researcher on the study.

"Our study shows that a single dose of methylphenidate typically led to improvement of the muscular tone and to a more fluent movement in children with ADHD-C/HKD," Stray told Reuters Health.