B-09: Effects of Methylphenidate Treatment Duration on Working Memory in Children With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Abstract
Objective: Deficits in working memory are a key component of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Stimulant medication is typically the first-line treatment for children with ADHD. However, few studies have evaluated how methylphenidate treatment duration influences performance using standardized neuropsychological measures. This literature review examines the relationship between treatment duration and working memory in pediatric ADHD populations. Method/Data Selection: A systematic literature review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines to synthesize peer reviewed journal articles. Search terms included: “methylphenidate and working memory AND attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder OR ADHD AND children”, across APA PsycInfo and APA PsycArticles. Eleven articles from 2006 to 2022 met inclusion criteria. Excluded articles contained populations over age 18 or did not use neuropsychological measures to assess working memory. Results/Data Synthesis: Results indicate that single methylphenidate administration yields mixed effects on working memory, with some studies showing improvements across neuropsychological measures (ANT, CANTAB, WISC-III/IV, WRAT, and WCJ-ACH) while others report no significant change. Intermediate durations (3 days to 4 weeks) also produce variable findings. Longer treatment durations (6 weeks to 2 years) demonstrate consistent increases in working memory performance. Conclusions: Findings suggest that methylphenidate-related Improvement in working memory in children with ADHD are more consistently observed with longer treatment durations, while acute and short-term effects remain inconclusive. Evidence indicates that children with higher baseline functioning show less improvement after methylphenidate, suggesting a potential ceiling effect. These results highlight the importance of sustained and individualized treatment when targeting working memory deficits in pediatric ADHD populations.