Wandering Adventure Party

Prescription medication for ADHD might not affect the attention networks of the brain, according to international researchers. The team looked at brain imaging data of kids aged 8-11, and found that taking these ADHD medications, which are stimulants, instead improve brain performance by reversing the effects of sleep deprivation on brain connections and school grades. They also found brain connectivity changed in the parts of the brain associated with wakefulness and reward, but not the brain’s attention systems. The team says their findings imply the ADHD medications might drive brain organisation towards a more wakeful and rewarded configuration, improving task effort and persistence without effects on attention networks.

Anyone able to explain what the resulting consequences mean in practice?

Sorry, i was unclear in my question. My not-understand was mainly for the parts of how the medication touches on wakefulness instead of attention.

I share(d) your problems. Getting on medication definitely improved my sleep, but the waking up too early stayed. So i started taking melatonin in the evening, every single night. I wouldn’t go as far as calling it a game changer, but it definitely improved my quality of life, and by a lot. Being well rested, I however still “need” medication, going without has a strong negative impact “on my day” with repercussions on my sleep. Also, the added benefits of melatonin-improved sleep allow me to reduce my meds dose, which leads to a reduction in the accompanying side-effects.