Effects of Once-Daily Oral and Transdermal Methylphenidate on Sleep Behavior of Children With ADHD
Abstract
Objective: Methylphenidate is a leading first-line treatment for ADHD (AD/HD). This stimulant has long been suspected to adversely affect sleeping patterns of treated individuals, especially children. There are few studies on the effects of recently developed longer-acting methylphenidate treatments, such as once-daily oral or transdermal formulations, on sleep. Method: The authors examined eight indices of sleep behavior among children treated with either of these two methylphenidate preparations or placebo in a randomized, double-blind, multicenter, parallel-group study. Results: The main predictor of sleep problems was baseline numbers or severity of preexisting sleep problems, whereas the different treatments and placebo varied little in their propensity to elicit such problems. There was no significant relationship between dosage and severity or frequency of sleep problems. Conclusion: The authors found little evidence that methylphenidate treatment (at least in sustained-release forms) was a significant cause of sleep problems in treated children who were carefully titrated to an optimal dose. (J. of Att. Dis. 2009; 12(4) 308-315)
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Transdermal methylphenidate in short-term studies is associated with efficacy throughout the day, improved family quality of life, and little effect on sleep when carefully titrated.
“Transdermal methylphenidate bypasses the oral route entirely, and in short-term studies is associated with efficacy throughout the day, with improved family quality of life, and when carefully titrated, little effect on sleep [44-46].”
From Advances in understanding and treating ADHD (2011) · cites this paper as [44]
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- Authors
- Faraone, S. V., Glatt, S. J., Bukstein, O. G., Lopez, F. A., Arnold, L. E., & Findling, R. L.
- Affiliations
- SUNY Upstate Medical University (US)
- State University of New York (US)
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- Children's Developmental Center, Winter Park, FL
- The Ohio State University (US)
- University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Faraone, Stephen V.
- Venue
- Journal of Attention Disorders
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2008-04-09
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 308-315
- ISSN
- 1087-0547 (ISSN-L)
- 1557-1246
- OpenAlex
- W2025801393
- Cited by
- 56
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 3.74
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Attention Disorders (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- 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
- methylphenidate, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, sleep disorders, children, stimulant side effects, dose titration
- MeSH terms
- Administration, Cutaneous, Central Nervous System Stimulants, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Child, Drug Administration Schedule, Female, Humans, Male, Methylphenidate, Sleep, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
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