Revealing the Source of Ritalin's Brain Boosting Benefits
The ADHD drug improves attention by enhancing neural plasticity.
Emily Singer 03/08/2010
- 21 Comments
New research in animals sheds light on how Ritalin, the stimulant drug prescribed to millions of children each year in the United States for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sheds light on how the drug works. The molecule appears to boost both attention and enhance the speed of learning by increasing the activity of the chemical messenger dopamine, according to new research in Nature Neuroscience.
Rats given Ritalin were able to more quickly learn that a combination of signals--a flash of light and sound--meant they could get a sugar water reward. But if the rats were also given a drug to block one type of dopamine receptor, the effect was lost. Treated animals also focused more intently on the task at hand, engaging in less unrelated behavior. Another drug, designed to block a second type of dopamine receptor, blocked Ritalin's ability to increase focus.
Researchers also found that drug-treated animals had enhanced neural plasticity, or changes in strength of the connections between nerve cells. The ability of our neural circuits to change strength in response to new information underlies our ability to learn.
"Since we now know that Ritalin improves behavior through two specific types of neurotransmitter receptors, the finding could help in the development of better targeted drugs, with fewer side effects, to increase focus and learning," said Antonello Bonci, MD, principal investigator at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center and professor of neurology at UCSF, in a statement from the university. The Gallo Center is affiliated with the UCSF Department of Neurology.
While Ritalin is mostly prescribed for children with ADHD, it also boosts cognitive function in healthy people. A number of studies suggest that a growing number of healthy adults and teens are taking Ritalin and similar drugs to aid in studying or work performance.
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Archie
30 Comments
Ritalin research
These scam scientists are as hard to shut down as are the Climate Change Scam mob.
When their job depends on government money they will find the "evidence" to keep it going.
A drug pusher by any other name is still a drug pusher.
Despite the mountain of true reports condemning this drug (and similars)they still insist on pushing it.
One tiny example:
http://ritalinsideeffects.net/
Google for hundreds more
Reply
Matthew Putman
37 Comments
Re: Ritalin research
I think we need to read the results in detail before declaring a conspiracy. Having evidence of increased neurotransmitters, and having those tied to plasticity is not itself a sales pitch for a drug. In fact there has been recent evidence that you do not want to over stimulate for too long, as the brain requires a state of rest for processing. Also, plasticity is important, but the natural process of pruning is as well. So this is interesting work, and not necessarily an attempt to sell drugs. I agree that we must think as scientists though, not as consumers. We should evaluate the true physiology, not what we want it to be.
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kaytye
1 Comment
Response from Ritalin Researcher
I am the lead author of this paper, also an MIT alum, and I would like to clarify for the record that none of us were paid by any pharmaceutical company to do this research. In fact, two of the co-authors were essentially volunteers.
Importantly, we are basic science researchers: We neither condemn nor condone the use of methylphenidate (Ritalin). However, it is undeniable that this drug is widely-used. Thus, we felt that it was important to identify the pharmacological targets and the neural mechanisms by which Ritalin alters behavior so that individuals can make informed decisions for themselves and their children.
I am a post doctoral fellow, and I can assure you that I do not do research for the money! Rather, I do it because I think it is an important contribution to society and it is a profession I conduct with honor. I am also fascinated by the various properties that govern neural plasticity, and think that gathering information about how the brain works is a service to society: One that should be appreciated rather than unfairly criticized by misinformed (or uninformed) commenters.
I would recommend that you read the actual article rather than the media descriptions (which we did not write) before forming and publishing opinions.
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sleeprun
23 Comments
Re: Response from Ritalin Researcher
...ignore the personalized/rants.....engaging them is what they want...good tactic to learn early in your career, you will get a LOT more...talking about the brain triggers some very strange folks and immediate hostility...usually political as well...to bad but we advice blocking/deleting such comments from an open forum...never take it personally or professionally...the web just attracts these types...science-oriented sites as well..they are the hyper-reactive/hostile tiny minority...
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kmwerts
2 Comments
Re: Response from Ritalin Researcher
Well, thanks for doing that research anyway. It seems to me that it needed to be done since it seemed like they didn't really know how these types of drugs really worked.
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aymeric
30 Comments
Re: Response from Ritalin Researcher
Hello,
Could ritaline help stroke victims regain quality of life by increasing brain plasticity? Making them regain abilities that they lost through parts of their brain having dies.
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gary7
59 Comments
Re: Response from Ritalin Researcher
It is a fact that the average person has a functional IQ between 80 and 120. ANY drug that enhances intellect is an essential part of our continued evolution(and it's about damn time we put that process under our own control). Continue your very fine work. This species needs all the help it can get.
,,,and don't worry about those conservative critics. They need this research more than most, though it is likely they will be the last to embrace it.
Gary 7
Reply
digger
2 Comments
Re: Response from Ritalin Researcher
Thank you for the good work you have done. I'm very interested in learning more about neural plasticity. I have ADHD and know first hand the level of damage ignorant people with half baked agendas can do to good quality research and proven treatments. I currently don't take stimulants. But my wife and I sure have noticed the negative impact this lack of treatment has made on our lives. It's no joke. Ritalin and other amphet stimulants really do work well for people like me with ADHD. Some noted experts in the field, like Dr. Amen and Dr. Hallowell have expressed their opinions that stimulants apparently help bridge some dopamine receptor deficits. Hey, I know it's not a matter of life and death. But it certainly is a quality of life matter. And isn't that a worthy cause in and of itself. On behalf of us folks with ADHD, thanks again and keep up the good work!
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Shootist
39 Comments
Re: Response from Ritalin Researcher
Sir or Madam
I am saddened that you feel compelled to make clear you are not associated with the evil Capitalists. It isn't your fault. The fault lies with the lying left.
Where would the western world be without Western Electric, DuPont, Bell Labs or IBM?
Reply
opiatesrule
1 Comment
Re: Ritalin research
A couple of things could be happening here. You could be upset that these professionals are providing a solution that you can't. These professionals are creating a self sustaining job, and you are upset that you can't. You have a profession the emulates these scientists and feel bad about it. Simply put you are either jealous or ashamed of your own career path. They are winning the intellectual fight here. Nothing you can do about it.
Reply
digger
2 Comments
Re: Ritalin research
Archie, I'm sorry you feel the way you do about the use of Ritalin for the treatment of ADHD. I think we can all agree that misinformation can cause some folks to simply go off on foolish rants. It's my guess that neither you nor any of your close family members have ADHD. Otherwise I'm certain you would see things in a clearer light. I have suffered with ADHD all my life and I can assure you that nobody has ever "pushed" drugs on me! In fact I currently don't take any stimulant medication. But this lack of treatment definately has not been good for my quality of life. Anyway, I'm curious, is it your political and /or religious beliefs that steered you into developing such an unreasonable and hostile attitude towards science and research? Lord knows Archie,there really are some good, church going conservatives out there who happen to have ADHD and some of them even take stimulants too. So why are you so convinced it's a scam??
Reply
AthiestWar
1 Comment
Re: Ritalin research
Interesting point... until you get to the bottom of the page that you linked and you realize that they are just selling some alternative "nutritional complex."
If you're going to condemn people as just trying to sell something, check your sources. Here's where the link leads. (http://healthyalternatives.com/attentiondeficitdisorder.html)
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