Sleep in Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Before and During Treatment with Methylphenidate: A Controlled Polysomnographic Study
Open accessAbstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES: Sleep problems are frequently associated with childhood ADHD, as indicated by numerous polysomnographic investigations showing increased nocturnal movements, reduced sleep efficiency, and decreased percentage of REM sleep (although findings are not consistent over all studies). Data on objective and subjective sleep parameters in adults with ADHD are sparse, and to date the impact of stimulants, the most widely used pharmacological treatment for ADHD, on sleep in adults with ADHD has not been examined. Thus the objectives of our study were to assess objective and subjective sleep parameters in adults with ADHD and the impact of stimulant medication on sleep. DESIGN: Two-group comparison and open-label therapy study. PARTICIPANTS: We enrolled 34 nonmedicated patients with ADHD, of whom 24 were without current comorbid psychiatric disorders, and 34 sex- and gender-matched control subjects without current psychiatric disorders or psychotropic medication. INTERVENTIONS: Ten patients were treated with methylphenidate over > or =26 days with a mean daily dose of 36.7 +/- 11.2 mg. MEASUREMENTS: Polysomnographic recording over 2 consecutive nights as well as assessments of subjective sleep parameters were performed in all patients and controls before treatment and reassessed in those patients receiving methylphenidate. RESULTS: Compared to controls untreated patients showed increased nocturnal activity, reduced sleep efficiency, more nocturnal awakenings and reduced percentage of REM sleep. Treatment with methylphenidate resulted in increased sleep efficiency as well as a subjective feeling of improved restorative value of sleep. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep problems in patients with ADHD continue from childhood to adulthood, with similar objective sleep characteristics in adults and children with ADHD. Medication with methylphenidate appears to have beneficial effects on sleep parameters in adults with ADHD.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In clinical trials using objective sleep measures, immediate-release methylphenidate has been reported to leave sleep quality either unaffected or improved in patients with ADHD.
“with sleep quality either unaffected (Galland et al. 2010) or improved (Boonstra et al. 2007; Sobanski et al. 2008)”
From Associations of sleep disturbance with ADHD: implications for treatment (2015) · cites this paper as Sobanski et al. 2008
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
(2012) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/springerreference_121117 · Cited by 20,769 · see citing works
Kessler, R. C., Adler, L., Barkley, R., Biederman, J., Conners, C. K., Demler, O., Faraone, S. V., Greenhill, L. L., Howes, M. J., Secnik, K., et al. (2006) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.2006.163.4.716 · Cited by 3,886 · see citing works
Mannuzza, S. (1993) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1993.01820190067007 · Cited by 1,368 · see citing works
Neurobiology of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
Faraone, S. V., & Biederman, J. (1998) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s0006-3223(98)00240-6 · Cited by 811 · see citing works
WEISS, G., HECHTMAN, L., MILROY, T., & PERLMAN, T. (1985) · Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s0002-7138(09)60450-7 · Cited by 753 · see citing works
The REM sleep-memory consolidation hypothesis
Siegel, J. M. (2001) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1063049 · Cited by 568 · see citing works
O'Brien, L. M., Holbrook, C. R., Mervis, C. Β., Klaus, C. J., Bruner, J. L., Raffield, T. J., Rutherford, J., Mehl, R. C., Wang, M., Tuell, A., et al. (2003) · PEDIATRICS · doi:10.1542/peds.111.3.554 · Cited by 541 · see citing works
Sleep Disturbances in Children With Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
CORKUM, P., TANNOCK, R., & MOLDOFSKY, H. (1998) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/00004583-199806000-00014 · Cited by 441 · see citing works
Picchietti, D. L., England, S. J., Walters, A. S., Willis, K. J., & Verrico, T. (1998) · Journal of Child Neurology · doi:10.1177/088307389801301202 · Cited by 307 · see citing works
Sleep Disorders and Daytime Sleepiness in Children with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactive Disorder
Golan, N., Shahar, E. M., Ravid, S., & Pillar, G. (2004) · SLEEP · doi:10.1093/sleep/27.2.261 · Cited by 285 · see citing works
Sleep and Alertness in Children with ADHD
Lecendreux, M., Konofal, E., Bouvard, M., Falissard, B., & Mouren‐Siméoni, M. (2000) · Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry · doi:10.1111/1469-7610.00667 · Cited by 269 · see citing works
Retz-Junginger, P., Retz, W., Blocher, D., Stieglitz, R.-D., Georg, T., Supprian, T., Wender, P. H., & Rösler, M. (2003) · Der Nervenarzt · doi:10.1007/s00115-002-1447-4 · Cited by 233 · see citing works
Voderholzer, U., Al-Shajlawi, A., Weske, G., Feige, B., & Riemann, D. (2003) · Depression and Anxiety · doi:10.1002/da.10101 · Cited by 206 · see citing works
Cohen-Zion, M., & Ancoli-Israel, S. (2004) · Sleep Medicine Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2004.06.002 · Cited by 203 · see citing works
Sleep Disturbances in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
O'Brien, L. M., Ivanenko, A., Crabtree, V. M., Holbrook, C. R., Bruner, J. L., Klaus, C. J., & Gozal, D. (2003) · Pediatric Research · doi:10.1203/01.pdr.0000072333.11711.9a · Cited by 172 · see citing works
Recording and scoring leg movements. The Atlas Task Force.
(1993) · PubMed · Cited by 167 · see citing works
Methylphenidate Dosing: Twice Daily Versus Three Times Daily
Stein, M. A., Blondis, T. A., Schnitzler, E. R., O'Brien, T., Fishkin, J., Blackwell, B., Szumowski, E., & Roizen, N. J. (1996) · Pediatrics · doi:10.1542/peds.98.4.748 · Cited by 151 · see citing works
Greenhill, L., Puig-Antich, J., Goetz, R., Hanlon, C., & Davies, M. (1983) · Sleep · doi:10.1093/sleep/6.2.91 · Cited by 121 · see citing works
Sleep quality in adult patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Schredl, M., Alm, B., & Sobanski, E. (2007) · European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience · doi:10.1007/s00406-006-0703-1 · Cited by 109 · see citing works
Self-citationSleep Patterns in Hyperkinetic and Normal Children
Busby, K., Firestone, P., & Pivik, R. T. (1981) · SLEEP · doi:10.1093/sleep/4.4.366 · Cited by 105 · see citing works
The Effect of Stimulants on Nocturnal Motor Activity and Sleep Quality in Adults With ADHD
Kooij, J. J. S., Middelkoop, H. A. M., van Gils, K., & Buitelaar, J. K. (2001) · The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry · doi:10.4088/jcp.v62n1206 · Cited by 103 · see citing works
Sleep and sleep disorders in adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Philipsen, A., Hornyak, M., & Riemann, D. (2006) · Sleep Medicine Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2006.05.002 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
Philipsen, A., Feige, B., Heßlinger, B., Ebert, D., Carl, C., Hornyak, M., Lieb, K., Voderholzer, U., & Riemann, D. W. (2005) · SLEEP · doi:10.1093/sleep/28.7.877 · Cited by 99 · see citing works
O'Brien, L. (2003) · Sleep Medicine · doi:10.1016/s1389-9457(03)00071-6 · Cited by 97 · see citing works
Tirosh, E. (1993) · American Journal of Diseases of Children · doi:10.1001/archpedi.1993.02160360055018 · Cited by 87 · see citing works
Hypnopolygraphic alterations in attention deficit disorder (ADD) children
Platon, M. J. R., Bueno, A. V., Sierra, J. E., & Kales, S. N. (1990) · International Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.3109/00207459008986591 · Cited by 77 · see citing works
Influence of the cholinesterase inhibitor galanthamine hydrobromide on normal sleep
Riemann, D. W., Gann, H., Dreßing, H. R., Müller, W. E., & Aldenhoff, J. B. (1994) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/0165-1781(94)90013-2 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
Nabilone increases choreatic movements in Huntington's disease
Müller‐Vahl, K., Schneider, U., & Emrich, H. M. (1999) · Movement Disorders · doi:10.1002/1531-8257(199911)14:6 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
Sleep quality in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: An actigraphic study
Dagan, Y., ZEEVI‐LURIA, S., SEVER, Y., Hallis, D., Yovel, I., Sadeh, A., & Dolev, E. (1997) · Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences · doi:10.1111/j.1440-1819.1997.tb02604.x · Cited by 63 · see citing works
Kooij, J. J. S., Aeckerlin, L. P., & Buitelaar, J. K. (2001) · PubMed · Cited by 63 · see citing works
Auditory Arousal Thresholds During Sleep in Hyperkinetic Children
Busby, K., & Pivik, R. T. (1985) · SLEEP · doi:10.1093/sleep/8.4.332 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Effects of Dextroamphetamine Sulfate on EEG Sleep Patterns of Hyperactive Children
Small, A. M. (1971) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1971.01750160081015 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Gann, H., Riemann, D. W., Hohagen, F., et al. (1994) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/0006-3223(94)90027-2 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Chatoor, I., Wells, K. C., Conners, C. K., Seidel, W. T., & Shaw, D. S. (1983) · Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s0002-7138(09)60668-3 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Effects of methylphenidate on hyperactive children's sleep
Haig, J. R., Schroeder, C. S., & Schroeder, S. R. (1974) · Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1007/bf00437425 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Neurobiology of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Faraone, S. V., & Radonjić, N. V. (2023) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-42825-9_33-1 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
EFFECT OF METHYLPHENIDATE ON SLEEP STAGES AND ULTRADIAN RHYTHMS IN HYPERACTIVE CHILDREN
Nahas, A. D., & Krynicki, V. E. (1977) · The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease · doi:10.1097/00005053-197701000-00012 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Schlaffragebögen SF-A und SF-B
Kühnel-Pfetzing, A. (2020) · Springer Reference Medizin · doi:10.1007/978-3-642-54672-3_275-1 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 7
- Dreßing H, Riemann D, Löw H, Schredl M, Reh C, Laux P, Müller E. Baldrian-Melisse-Kombinationen versus Benzodiazepin: Bei Schlafstörungen gleichwertig? Therapiewoche 1992;42:726-36.
- Görtelmeier R. On the development of a standardized sleep in- ventory fort he assessment of sleep. In: Kubicki S, Herrmann WM (Eds) Methods of sleep research. New York: Gustav Fischer; 1985:93-8
- Ramos Platos MJ, Bueno AV, Sierra JE, Kales S. Hypopolygraph- ic alternation in attention deficit disorder children. Int J Neurosci 1990;53:87-101.
- Greenhill L, Pig-Antich J, Goetz R, Hanlon C, Davies M. Sleep architecture and REM sleep measures in prepubertal children with hyperactivity. Sleep 1983;6:91-1001.
- Picchietti DL, England S, Walters A, et al. Periodic limb movement disorder and restless legs syndrome in children with attention-defi- cit hyperactivity disorder. J Child Neurol 1998;13:588-94.
- Kooij JJS, Aeckerlin Lp, Buitelaar JJ. Funtioneren, comorbiditeit en behandeling van 141 volwassenen met aandachtstekort-hyper- activiteit-stoornis (ADHD) op een algemene poliklineik Psychi- atrie [Functioning, comorbidity and treatment of 141 adults with ADHD at a psychiatric outpatients' department] Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd 2001;145:1498-1501.
- Tirosh E, Sadeh A, Munvez R, Lavie P. Effects of methylpheni- date on sleep in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity dis- order. Am J Dis Child 1993;147:1313-5.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Sleep and mental disorders: a meta-analysis of polysomnographic research
Baglioni, C., Nanovska, S., Regen, W., Spiegelhalder, K., Feige, B., Nissen, C., Reynolds, C. F., & Riemann, D. (2016) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/bul0000053 · Cited by 1,074 · see citing works
Associations of sleep disturbance with ADHD: implications for treatment
Hvolby, A. (2015) · ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders · doi:10.1007/s12402-014-0151-0 · Cited by 339 · see citing works
Adult ADHD and Comorbid Somatic Disease: A Systematic Literature Review
Instanes, J. T., Klungsøyr, K., Halmøy, A., Fasmer, O. B., & Haavik, J. (2018) · Journal of Attention Disorders · doi:10.1177/1087054716669589 · Cited by 232 · see citing works
Baird, A. L., Coogan, A. N., Siddiqui, A., Donev, R. M., & Thome, J. (2012) · Molecular Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/mp.2011.149 · Cited by 224 · see citing works
Distinguishing comorbidity and successful management of adult ADHD
Kooij, J. J. S., Huss, M., Asherson, P., Akehurst, R., Beusterien, K., French, A., Sasané, R., & Hodgkins, P. (2012) · Journal of Attention Disorders · doi:10.1177/1087054711435361 · Cited by 172 · see citing works
ADHD Treatments, Sleep, and Sleep Problems: Complex Associations
Stein, M. A., Weiss, M., & Hlavaty, L. (2012) · Neurotherapeutics · doi:10.1007/s13311-012-0130-0 · Cited by 165 · see citing works
Perceived stress and ADHD symptoms in adults
Combs, M. A., Canu, W. H., Broman-Fulks, J. J., Rocheleau, C. A., & Nieman, D. C. (2015) · Journal of Attention Disorders · doi:10.1177/1087054712459558 · Cited by 122 · see citing works
Voinescu, B. I., Szentagotai, A., & David, D. (2012) · Journal of Neural Transmission · doi:10.1007/s00702-012-0862-3 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
Lugo, J., Fadeuilhe, C., Gisbert, L., Setien, I., Delgado, M., Corrales, M., Richarte, V., & Ramos-Quiroga, J. A. (2020) · European Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.07.004 · Cited by 81 · see citing works
Gamble, K. L., May, R. S., Besing, R. C., Tankersly, A. P., & Fargason, R. E. (2013) · Chronobiology International · doi:10.3109/07420528.2012.754454 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
McGowan, N. M., Voinescu, B. I., & Coogan, A. N. (2016) · Chronobiology International · doi:10.1080/07420528.2016.1208214 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Kim, H.-W., Yoon, I.-Y., Cho, S.-C., Kim, B.-N., Chung, S., Lee, H., Kim, C.-W., Park, S.-K., & Yoo, H. J. (2010) · International Clinical Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1097/yic.0b013e3283364411 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Methylphenidate Modifies the Motion of the Circadian Clock
Antle, M. C., van Diepen, H. C., Deboer, T., Pedram, P., Pereira, R. R., & Meijer, J. H. (2012) · Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1038/npp.2012.103 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Wynchank, D., ten Have, M., Bijlenga, D., Penninx, B. W., Beekman, A. T., Lamers, F., de Graaf, R., & Kooij, J. J. S. (2018) · Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine · doi:10.5664/jcsm.6976 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Baird, A. L., Coogan, A. N., Kaufling, J., Barrot, M., & Thome, J. (2013) · Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2013.03.038 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Effect of Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate on Sleep in Children With ADHD
Giblin, J. M., & Strobel, A. L. (2011) · Journal of Attention Disorders · doi:10.1177/1087054710371195 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Helfer, B., Cooper, R. E., Bozhilova, N., Maltezos, S., Kuntsi, J., & Asherson, P. (2019) · European Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2018.09.006 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Combs, M. A., Canu, W. H., Broman Fulks, J. J., & Nieman, D. C. (2014) · Applied Research in Quality of Life · doi:10.1007/s11482-013-9281-3 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Bumb, J. M., Mier, D., Noelte, I., Schredl, M., Kirsch, P., Hennig, O., Liebrich, L., Fenske, S., Alm, B., Sauer, C., et al. (2016) · European Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2016.03.016 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Sobanski, E., Schredl, M., Kettler, N., & Alm, B.
- Affiliations
- Central Institute of Mental Health (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Sobanski, Esther
- Venue
- Sleep
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2008-03
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 375-381
- ISSN
- 0161-8105 (ISSN-L)
- 1550-9109
- PMC
- PMC2276739
- OpenAlex
- W1823988496
- Cited by
- 153
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 7.50
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- SLEEP (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Eli Lilly and Company
- Cilag
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Obstructive Sleep Apnea Research
- Keywords
- adult ADHD, sleep disorders, methylphenidate, sleep efficiency, REM sleep, nocturnal movement, nocturnal awakenings, subjective sleep quality, polysomnography
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Central Nervous System Stimulants, Arousal, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Female, Humans, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders, Male, Methylphenidate, Middle Aged, Sleep, Sleep, REM, Polysomnography
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
