Memantine versus Methylphenidate in Children and Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A
Mohammad Reza Mohammadi1, Soleiman Mohammadzadeh2, Shahin Akhondzadeh1
1Psychiatry and psychology Research Center, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Insights
Methylphenidate showed better results than memantine for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. Memantine may be an alternative, though less effective, option for ADHD treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychiatry
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Pharmacological Interventions
Background:
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children.
- Methylphenidate is a widely used stimulant medication for ADHD.
- Memantine, typically used for Alzheimer's disease, has been explored as a potential ADHD treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of memantine and methylphenidate in treating pediatric ADHD.
- To evaluate treatment outcomes and side effects of both medications.
Main Methods:
- A randomized clinical trial involving 40 children (ages 6-11) diagnosed with ADHD.
- Participants were randomly assigned to receive either memantine (n=22) or methylphenidate (n=18) for six weeks.
- Outcomes were assessed using the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Rating Scale and Clinical Global Impression-Severity Scale.
Main Results:
- Methylphenidate demonstrated significantly better outcomes on parent rating scales and CGI-Severity scores compared to memantine at 6 weeks.
- While memantine showed more frequent side effects, the difference in frequency between groups was not statistically significant.
- Common memantine side effects included appetite suppression, headache, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue.
Conclusions:
- Methylphenidate is more effective than memantine for treating ADHD in children.
- Memantine may serve as a potential alternative treatment option for pediatric ADHD.
- Further research is warranted to fully understand memantine's role in ADHD management.
Objectives:
The aim of this randomized clinical trial was to assess the efficacy of memantine versus methylphenidate in the treatment of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Method:
Forty participants (34 boys and 6 girls) aged 6-11 who were diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder based on (DSM-IV-TR) criteria were selected for this study. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups: group one (n = 22) received memantine and the other group (n = 18) received methylphenidate for six weeks. Treatment outcomes were assessed using the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Rating Scale and Clinical Global Impression- Severity Scale administered at baseline and at weeks 3 and 6 following the treatment. Also, a two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (time- treatment interaction) was used.
Results:
At 6 weeks, methylphenidate produced a significantly better outcome on the Parent Rating Scale scores and Clinical Global Impression- Severity than memantine. Side effects were observed more often in the memantine group. However, with respect to the frequency of side effects, the difference between the memantine and methylphenidate groups was not significant. The most common side effects associated with memantine are appetite suppression, headache, vomiting, nausea and fatigue.
Conclusion:
The results of this study revealed that although memantine was less effective than methylphenidate in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, it may be considered as an alternative treatment.
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