Randomized, placebo-controlled trial of mixed amphetamine salts for symptoms of comorbid ADHD in pediatric bipolar disorder after mood stabilization with divalproex sodium

Studies have established a strong link between ADHD and mood swings as well as Bipolar Disorder:

While ADHD medications can be prescribed for those with Bipolar Disorder, there are concerns among experts and regulators that ADHD medications can potentially worsen Bipolar Disorder symptoms among some individuals:

Given this link, this study wanted to determine whether children with bipolar disorder can safely take ADHD medications if they are being treated with divalproex sodium, a treatment for bipolar disorder.

Researchers recruited 40 children with both ADHD and bipolar disorder. They first treated Bipolar Disorder in children with divalproex sodium. Once the children were treated for their bipolar disorder symptoms, they were given amphetamine salts, the generic form of Adderall.

The results showed that divalproex sodum reduced bipolar disorder symptoms among children with ADHD and bipolar disorder, confirming that ADHD likely doesn't interfere with bipolar disorder treatment.

The participants experienced much more significant improvements in their ADHD symptoms when given generic Adderall, suggesting that Adderall can work in those with ADHD and bipolar disorder.

Most importantly, there was no evidence of worsened bipolar disorder when participants were given generic Adderall:

These results suggest that Adderall may be a safe treatment for ADHD among children with ADHD and Bipolar Disorder, as long as their Bipolar Disorder is stabilized and treated first.

The dramatic improvements seen with generic Adderall suggest that Bipolar Disorders medications alone may not be enough to treat ADHD symptoms.

This is consistent with previous studies that have shown that stimulant medications can safely treat ADHD among those with bipolar disorder, as long as a patient is treated for bipolar disorder first.