Browsing by Subject "Methylphenidate"

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    Improvements in Irritability with Open-Label Methylphenidate Treatment in Youth with Comorbid Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
    (Mary Ann Liebert, 2018-06) Winters, Drew E.; Fukui, Sadaaki; Leibenluft, Ellen; Hulvershorn, Leslie A.; School of Social Work
    Objective: The purpose of this open-label study was to examine the effects of long-acting methylphenidate (MPH) treatment on irritability and related emotional symptoms associated with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) in youth with comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: The sample included 22 medication-free male and female subjects (ages 9–15) who met criteria for both DMDD and ADHD. Participants underwent a 4-week trial of long-acting MPH treatment (Concerta®), with weekly dosing increases until a therapeutic dose was reached. Repeated measures t-tests were used to compare pre- and posttreatment ratings of primary and secondary measures. The primary outcome was self-report irritability. Secondary outcomes included parent and child ratings of emotional frequency, emotional lability, and negative affect (NA). Multiple regression was used to examine the impact baseline hyperactivity, age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, or comorbid diagnosis had on treatment outcomes. Results: Significant improvements (medium to large effect sizes) in child-rated irritability as well as parent and child ratings of emotional lability, NA, and anger were found. As anticipated, ADHD symptoms also improved. While a majority of the sample saw improvement in child-rated irritability (71%), symptoms worsened a small proportion (19%), and an even smaller portion experienced no change (10%). No demographics, psychiatric comorbidities, or severity of ADHD symptoms influenced treatment outcomes. Conclusions: Study findings suggest that MPH treatment significantly improved mood and emotional symptoms associated with DMDD comorbid with ADHD. These findings, coupled with good tolerability in this open-label pilot study supports further research into the use of MPH as a first-line treatment for DMDD. Future work examining MPH treatment of youth with DMDD with and without comorbid ADHD is needed.
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    Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial of Methylphenidate or Galantamine for Persistent Emotional and Cognitive Symptoms Associated with PTSD and/or Traumatic Brain Injury
    (Nature Publishing Group, 2016-04) McAllister, Thomas W.; Zafonte, Ross; Jain, Sonia; Flashman, Laura A.; George, Mark S.; Grant, Gerald A.; He, Feng; Lohr, James B.; Andaluz, Norberto; Summerall, Lanier; Paulus, Martin P.; Raman, Rema; Stein, Murray B.; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine
    We report findings from a 12-week randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial of methylphenidate or galantamine to treat emotional and cognitive complaints in individuals (n=32) with a history of PTSD, TBI, or both conditions. In this small pilot study, methylphenidate treatment was associated with clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvement compared with placebo on the primary outcome, a measure of cognitive complaints (Ruff Neurobehavioral Inventory-Postmorbid Cognitive Scale), as well as on the secondary outcomes reflecting post-concussive (Rivermead Post Concussive Symptom Questionnaire) and post-traumatic stress symptoms (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist). Treatment was well tolerated. These results suggest the need for a larger RCT to replicate and confirm these findings. Design considerations for such a trial should include the need for multiple sites to facilitate adequate recruitment and extension of the treatment and follow-up periods.
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    Using stimulants to treat ADHD-related emotional lability
    (Springer, 2014-10) Posner, Jonathan; Kass, Erica; Hulvershorn, Leslie; Department of Psychiatry, IU School of Medicine
    Emotional lability, or sudden strong shifts in emotion, commonly occurs in youth with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Although these symptoms are impairing and disruptive, relatively little research has addressed their treatment, likely due to the difficulty of reliable and valid assessment. Promising signals for symptom improvement have come from recent studies using stimulants in adults, children and adolescents. Similarly, neuroimaging studies have begun to identify neurobiological mechanisms underlying stimulants’ impact on emotion regulation capacities. Here, we review these recent clinical and neuroimaging findings, as well as neurocognitive models for emotional lability in ADHD, issues of relevance to prescribers and the important role of psychiatric comorbidity with treatment choices.