Stopping ADHD medication alters sleep rhythms long after discontinuation
Stopping the common ADHD medication methylphenidate may cause lasting sleep disruptions. A new animal study reveals that rats experience fragmented rest and altered circadian rhythms ten days after ceasing the drug, highlighting potential long-term withdrawal effects.
A recent animal study published in Psychopharmacology has found that stopping the ADHD medication methylphenidate can lead to lasting disruptions in sleep and activity rhythms. Researchers at California State University, San Bernardino, conducted the study using a group of 100 Long-Evans rats, with half being adolescents and the other half adults.
The rats were administered either a saline control or a methylphenidate dose equivalent to clinically relevant levels in human patients. After ten days of treatment, the researchers observed reduced rest quality in both adolescent and adult rats for ten days following medication discontinuation. This finding suggests that the effects of methylphenidate on sleep patterns may persist even after the drug is stopped, potentially impacting the quality of life for individuals with ADHD.
The study highlights the need for further research into the long-term sleep effects of ADHD medication, particularly in pediatric populations where sleep disturbances are already prevalent and often treated with psychostimulants like methylphenidate.
Brief written by urgent.news from PsyPost's own syndicated text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
