Their report in the Journal of Neurophysiology helps explain how
a stimulant aids people with attention deficit and hyperactivity
disorders to improve their focus without increasing their motor
activity. Methylphenidate, prescribed under the brand name
Ritalin, has been used for more than 20 years, mostly in
children, to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD) and attention deficit disorder (ADD). The drug can also
help people who don't suffer either disorder to attend better to
a cognitive task. Despite its wide use, little is known about
how the drug, a chemical cousin of amphetamines, produces its
therapeutic effects. Researchers want to unlock the mystery of
why the drug has the paradoxical effect of decreasing
hyperactive behavior and increasing the ability to focus, even
though it is a stimulant, said Barry Waterhouse, the study's
senior author. "We're developing a series of behavioral and
electrophysiological assays for examining the actions of drugs
like methylphenidate," Waterhouse said