treating adhd: Latest News

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is as multifaceted as the individuals who live with it. Just as there is no one singular presentation of ADHD, there is also no singular treatment.

August 20, 2025Vitamin D supplementation is associated with decreased ADHD symptoms, including lower levels of hyperactivity and inattention in children, finds a new meta-analysis.1 The research builds on previous studies that found relatively lower levels of vitamin D in children with ADHD than in their neurotypical peers.The meta-analysis reviewed six studies of children with ADHD who received vitamin D supplements or placebos. The children treated with vitamin D exhibited decreased ADHD symptoms (SMD=-0.59), including lower scores of hyperactivity (SMD=-0.64) and inattention (SMD=-0.6) with no significant side effects.

Stimulants are the first-line treatment for most people with ADHD, yet few clinicians receive training on fine-tuning medications like Adderall, Ritalin, or Vyvanse to achieve the best outcomes.No practical, modern protocol exists regarding how to efficiently adjust stimulants to optimize their performance in managing ADHD symptoms and mitigating side effects. The only guidance available stems from the Multimodal Treatment of ADHD (MTA) Study, published in 1999, but the MTA’s research methodology often took as long as eight months to determine each subject’s optimal medication and dose.This is completely impractical in the real world, where insurance coverage pays for only two or three sessions of clinical assessment and medication adjustments.

June 24, 2025Centanafadine — a norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin reuptake inhibitor (NDSRI) — is effective at treating ADHD in adults, adolescents, and children, according to Phase 3 trials sponsored by the drug’s manufacturer, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals. The non-stimulant ADHD medication offers the potential benefits of mild side effects and a low abuse potential, and it works by increasing levels of three different neurotransmitters involved in ADHD.

April 5, 2024Treating ADHD with medication can lower overall risk of mortality and of hospitalizations, both psychiatric and non-psychiatric, according to two new Swedish studies.1, 2 These findings highlight the importance of ADHD medication use for long-term health and longevity, underscoring the urgent need to end the stimulant shortage that has prevented U.S. patients with ADHD from consistently accessing medication since the Fall of 2022.An observational study from Sweden, published in JAMA, followed nearly 150,000 adults and adolescents with a diagnosis of ADHD, tracking participants for two years following diagnosis.The researchers found that use of ADHD medication:While the authors of the study caution that these findings show correlation, not causation, the results are encouraging for patients and clinicians with reservations about ADHD medication use, especially later in life.A second Swedish study sought to investigate the effect of a variety of ADHD medications on rates of hospitalizations.

BOSTON – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has for the first time approved a video game for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children.The FDA said Monday the game built by Boston-based Akili Interactive Labs can improve attention function.