Effects of methylphenidate on subjective sleep parameters in adults with ADHD: a prospective, non-randomized, non-blinded 6-week trial

Abstract

Objective

Methylphenidate is a first-line treatment for ADHD; its contribution to sleep problems in adult ADHD is currently unclear. This study investigates (a) subjective sleep disturbances in a group of initially stimulant medication-naïve adults with ADHD and (b) reported changes in sleep problems after 6 weeks of methylphenidate treatment.

Method

A prospective, non-randomized, non-blinded, 6-week follow-up study utilising a self-report measure.

Results

We found (1) a large difference in reported sleep quality between methylphenidate medication-naïve patients and controls at baseline, (2) a marked improvement in patients after methylphenidate medication, and (3) largest improvement for patients with the poorest reported sleep at baseline.

Conclusion

The study indicates that treatment with methylphenidate increases subjective sleep quality for at least some adults with ADHD.

Keywords:

• Adult ADHD
• methylphenidate
• self-report
• sleep

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the clinicians at the Adult ADHD Clinic at the Copenhagen University Hospital, Glostrup Mental Health Centre, for their invaluable cooperation in recruitment of patients. Thanks to Mette Thorlund Haahr, Karine Madsen and Mathew Liptrot for permission to use their translation of the PSQI.

Ethical approval

The authors assert that all procedures contributing to this work comply with the ethical standards of the relevant national and institutional committees on human experimentation and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2008. The project was approved by the Ethical Committee of the Capital Region Copenhagen (study number: H-15001438; title: ‘Attention to Dopamine – ADHD project, in collaboration with PECANS II’).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The study was supported by the UCPH 2016 Program of Excellence (‘Attention to Dopamine’) and the Lundbeck Foundation, Grant no. R155-2013-16337. Funding sources had no role in any aspect of the study.

Notes on contributors

Ann-Marie Low

Ann-Marie Low is a specialist in clinical neuropsychology and currently works at the Team for ADHD and Autism, Psychiatric Health Center Glostrup, Mental Health Center Copenhagen. She is also affiliated with the Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, as an external lecturer.

Signe Vangkilde

Signe Vangkilde, Ph.D. is an associate professor in cognitive neuropsychology at the Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen. She also works as a senior researcher within cognitive neuropsychiatry at the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centre, Capital Region of Denmark.

Julijana le Sommer

Juliana le Sommer, M.D., Ph.D. has since completion of her Ph.D. worked in Mental Health Services and is currently working at Psychiatric Hospital, Slagelse, Denmark.

Birgitte Fagerlund

Birgitte Fagerlund, Ph.D is a senior researcher and psychologist with specialty in child and adolescent psychiatry at the Center for Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Center, Copenhagen University Hospital – Mental Health Services, Copenhagen, Denmark. She is also affiliated with the Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen.

Birte Glenthøj

Birte Yding Glenthøj, MD, Dr.Med. Sci., is Professor, Chief Psychiatrist, and Chair of Research at the Center for Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research (CNSR) and Center for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research (CINS) at Capital Region of Denmark Mental Health Centre Glostrup and University of Copenhagen.

Jens Richardt Møllegaard Jepsen

Jens Richardt Møllegaard Jepsen, Ph.D. is a senior researcher and psychologist with specialty in child and adolescent psychiatry at the Center for Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Center, Copenhagen University Hospital – Mental Health Services CPH, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Thomas Habekost

Thomas Habekost, Ph.D., is a professor of cognitive neuropsychology with specialty in studies of visual attention at the Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.