The effects of methylphenidate and lithium on attention and activity level

Seven psychiatrically hospitalized prepubertal children were treated with methylphenidate, placebo, lithium carbonate alone and in combination with methylphenidate. Children met DSM-III-R criteria for both disruptive behavior disorder and bipolar or major depressive disorder by structured interview and consensus diagnosis. Parents, children, teachers, staff, and raters were blind to medication condition. Children were rated weekly on measures of attention and activity to determine whether medications alone or in combination produced a differential effect on these variables. The nosological and practical implications of the results are discussed.