Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood developmental disorder that often continues into adulthood.

Methylphenidate, a medication used to treat ADHD, affects how certain brain areas work.

Research has found that children with ADHD display greater brain activity when trying to control their impulses compared to others.

Methylphenidate helped improve impulse control in ADHD children across different tasks.

This research shows that unique brain patterns are present in children, indicating that understanding ADHD may be different than previously thought.

Children with ADHD and healthy children were asked to complete two tasks that required them to respond quickly or stop their response. They performed these tasks twice, once with methylphenidate (Ritalin) and once without it. The researchers measured brain activity using functional MRI during these tasks.

The study focused on the differences in brain activation between the two groups. Specifically, they looked at the frontal and striatal regions of the brain, which are known to play a role in response inhibition, to see how the drug affected these areas.

The effects of methylphenidate (Ritalin) on brain function were different for children with ADHD compared to healthy children. On one task, the drug improved response inhibition for both groups, but on the other task, it only helped children with ADHD. The drug increased brain activity in the frontal region equally for both groups during one of the tasks.

However, in the striatal region, it increased activation in children with ADHD but decreased it in healthy children. These findings indicate that ADHD is associated with unusual brain function in the frontal-striatal regions and that methylphenidate affects these areas differently depending on whether a child has ADHD.

The study concludes that children with ADHD show atypical function in the frontal and striatal brain regions, areas critical for controlling responses. Methylphenidate (Ritalin) helps improve these functions but affects brain activation differently in children with ADHD compared to healthy children.

These differences highlight the unique way ADHD affects the brain and how medication can help manage the symptoms by targeting specific brain regions. Understanding these effects can guide better treatment approaches for children with ADHD.