1043-3155 Pediatr Neurol Briefs pedneurbriefs Pediatr Neurol Briefs Pediatric Neurology Briefs Pediatr Neurol Briefs 2166-6482 1043-3155 2166-3155 Pediatric Neurology Briefs Publishers Chicago, IL, USA PNB-8-04-b 10.15844/pedneurbriefs-8-1-7 Attention Deficit and Cognitive Disorders Neurology Pediatrics Nervous System Diseases Child Development Brain Diseases Neurosurgery Child Infant Methylphenidate and Sleep Patterns http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0173-7931 Millichap J. Gordon MD 1 2 * Division of Neurology, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL Correspondence: Dr. J. Gordon Millichap, E-mail: jgmillichap@northwestern.edu 01 1994 01 06 2016 8 1 4 5 Copyright: © 1994 The Author(s) 1994 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Effects of methylphenidate on sleep in children with attention-deficient hyperactivity disorder. An activity monitor study

The effects of methylphenidate (0.3-0.4 mg/kg) cf placebo on sleep in 10 children with ADHD are reported in a double-blind crossover study at the Bnai Zion Medical Center and the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.

 Methylphenidate Sleep Patterns Dysphoria/Disengagement

The effects of methylphenidate (0.3-0.4 mg/kg) cf placebo on sleep in 10 children with ADHD are reported in a double-blind crossover study at the Bnai Zion Medical Center and the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. Sleep duration was significantly shorter during the drug period compared to placebo or baseline periods. The percent of quiet sleep was lower in the ADHD study group compared with controls in baseline measures, but not during methylphenidate treatment. [1]

COMMENT. Children with ADHD have significantly prolonged sleep duration and a trend toward a lower percentage of quiet sleep, possibly attributed to hypoarousal or fatigue. Normalization of sleep patterns and decreased sleep duration achieved by methylphenidate could result from increased arousal. Insomnia, frequently reported as a side effect of methylphenidate, requires closer study.

Perceptions of methylphenidate effects on peer interactions of ADHD children were studied by psychologists at the University of California, Los Angeles and Irvine [2]. Analyses of observations of videotapes by 96 undergraduates showed that medication increased social withdrawal and dysphoria/disengagement, suggesting negative interpersonal consequences of these unintended internalizing behavior changes, even when not cued by rating scales. A positive medication effect was obtained in the category of leader/planner, behaviors requiring social organization and foresight.

 Tirosh E Sadeh A Munvez R Lavie P Effects of methylphenidate on sleep in children with attention-deficient hyperactivity disorder. An activity monitor study Am J Dis Child 1993 Dec 147 12 1313 1315 10.1001/archpedi.1993.02160360055018 8249952 Granger DA Whalen CK Henker B Perceptions of methylphenidate effects on hyperactive children’s peer interactions J Abnorm Child Psychol 1993 Oct 21 5 535 549 10.1007/BF00916447 8294652