ADHD Medications - Part I - How They Work

The past 10-15 years have witnessed a number of major developments in the medications and delivery systems available for the management of ADHD. Dr. Barkley here discusses the types of medications now available to ADHD management and the various delivery systems developed to extend the effectiveness of the medications across the day. For each medication, he will present the major beneficial effects and side effects. He will also discuss various issues clinicians should consider in selecting particular medications to use with a patient with ADHD, such as those issues related to the social context, the patient’s characteristics, and any comorbid conditions that may exist. In Part I, I discuss how each of the different types of medication works in the brain.