title: New developments in psychopharmacology of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
abstract: Stimulants have been the mainstay of the psychopharmacological treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for over 60 years. In the last 5 years, there have been a number of important developments in terms of potential new treatments for ADHD. Since stimulants have such a short half-life, considerable research has focused on the development of new delivery systems that will allow once-a-day dosing. New formulations of both amphetamine (AMP) and methylphenidate (MPH) have appeared which differ in terms of their optical isomers from the commonly used compounds. A wide variety of compounds are currently in development as therapeutic agents for ADHD. Some, like the stimulants, primarily impact the noradrenergic and dopaminergic neurotransmitter systems, while others have novel effects on the cholinergic, histaminergic and peptidergic systems. Advances in the pharmacogenetics of ADHD may lead to the development of yet more compounds in the near future.
authors.affiliation: Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive MC 7792, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA. pliszka@uthscsa.edu
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Pliszka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000662:Amphetamines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D001337:Autonomic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000662:Amphetamines; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D001337:Autonomic Agents; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants