ADHD Medications May Not Improve Attention, Study Suggests

Study of nearly 6,000 children shows Ritalin and Adderall activate the brain’s reward centers rather than attention networks, challenging long-held beliefs.

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For decades, doctors believed that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications such as Ritalin and Adderall worked by sharpening a person’s focus. They may have been wrong.

A study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine suggests that these drugs actually work by making tasks feel more rewarding—basically tricking the brain into caring about homework, chores, and other mundane activities.