Utah People's Post

The Latest News from the Beehive State

Saturday, February 27, 2021
Log in
  • National News
    • Female Caseworker Killed & Doctor Shot in Philadelphia
  • State News
    • Car Chase Leads to Drug Arrest
  • Tech & Science
  • Health
    • How to Prepare For Ticks Season
    • Magical Weight Loss Bean Scam
  • Sports
  • Business
You are here: Home / Health / Stimulant Treatment For ADHD Drugs Linked To Reduced Smoking Rates

Stimulant Treatment For ADHD Drugs Linked To Reduced Smoking Rates

May 12, 2014 Posted by Staff

A research from Duke Medicine in Durham, NC has discovered that of those suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and being treated with stimulant medication, are less likely to smoke. The medication includes Adderall, Ritalin and Vyvanse.

Children undergone through this treatment were about half as likely to smoke as children with the same disorder who were not treated with these medications.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a group of behavioural symptoms that include inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. Attention deficit disorder (ADD) is a sub-type of ADHD.

Stimulants regulate impulsive behavior and improve attention span and focus by increasing the levels of certain chemicals in the brain, primarily dopamine, which transmit signals between nerves.

smokingStimulants are an effective way of managing ADHD symptoms. They can be used individually or in combination with behavior therapy.

“Given that individuals with ADHD are more likely to smoke, our study supports the use of stimulant treatment to reduce the likelihood of smoking in youth with ADHD,” Scott Kollins, senior author and professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and director of the Duke ADHD Program, said in a statement. “The risk is further lowered when adherence to medication treatment is consistent, presumably since this increases the chances that symptoms are managed effectively.”

ADHD “can be very much in flux” around the pre-teen and teen years when smoking experimentation typically begins, says ADHD researcher Paul Hammerness, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, who was not the part of the new study. As teens with ADHD face increasing academic and social-emotional demands, they may turn to smoking to improve focus or reduce restlessness, or “as an example of being impulsive,” he says. “This is often a tenuous development period.”

The study published in the journal Pediatrics included the examination of 14 longitudinal studies of cigarette smoking and ADHD treatment, including a total of 2,360 individuals (1,424 were treated with medication; 936 were not) with ADHD. This accounts as the largest meta-analysis on the issue to date.

“The message is not just that treatment is effective in reducing this risk, but that well-managed and consistent treatment over time is really what’s associated with a lower risk,” Kollins says.

The study results “don’t really say anything about those kids who might not actually meet the criteria for ADHD, but who might be getting stimulant medication,” he adds.

Lead author Erin Schoenfelder, PhD, clinical associate and a psychologist in the Duke ADHD Program, explains:

“Nicotine operates on the same pathways in the brain as stimulant medications, and the relationship between stimulants and smoking has been controversial. It has been suggested that some people with ADHD ‘self-medicate’ their attention deficits using nicotine.”

Dr. Schoenfelder concludes, “My hope is that this research can help inform our efforts to prevent negative outcomes for kids with ADHD, including cigarette smoking. This population hasn’t been targeted for smoking prevention efforts, despite the well-known connection between ADHD and smoking.”

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: Adderall, ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Ritalin, smoking less, stimulant, Vyvanse

Woman working out at the gym

Just 23% of Americans Are Working Out Enough in Their Spare Time

June 29, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Poliovirus Therapy Gives Brain Cancer Patients New Hope (Study)

June 29, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

United Airlines airplane

Passenger Mysteriously Dies on United Airlines flight Bound for Boston

June 28, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Breakfast sandwich

Here Are Some Foods No Nutritionist Would Ever Eat

June 27, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Poppy flower

UN Warns of Surge in Opium-based Drugs and Cocaine Supply

June 27, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

U.S.-Canada border

French Jogger Detained 2 Weeks for Accidentally Crossing Border

June 26, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Plus size model

Normalizing Plus Size Could Fuel Obesity Crisis (Study)

June 25, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Giant manta ray

Unique Manta Ray Nursery Spotted off Texas Coast

June 23, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

The rainbow flag

WHO Scraps Transgenderism from List of Mental Illnesses

June 22, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

456 People Dead at U.K. Hospital after Taking too Many Painkillers

June 21, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Kenyan girls dancing

Kenyans Facing Poor Nutrition as Supermarket Shopping Is on the Rise

June 20, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Pages

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy GDPR
  • Staff
  • Terms and Conditions

Recent Posts

  • Just 23% of Americans Are Working Out Enough in Their Spare Time
  • Poliovirus Therapy Gives Brain Cancer Patients New Hope (Study)
  • Passenger Mysteriously Dies on United Airlines flight Bound for Boston
  • Here Are Some Foods No Nutritionist Would Ever Eat
  • UN Warns of Surge in Opium-based Drugs and Cocaine Supply
  • French Jogger Detained 2 Weeks for Accidentally Crossing Border
  • Normalizing Plus Size Could Fuel Obesity Crisis (Study)

Related Articles

  • Woman working out at the gym

    Just 23% of Americans Are Working Out Enough in Their Spare Time

    Jun 29, 2018
  • Poliovirus Therapy Gives Brain Cancer Patients New Hope (Study)

    Jun 29, 2018
  • Breakfast sandwich

    Here Are Some Foods No Nutritionist Would Ever Eat

    Jun 27, 2018
  • Normalizing Plus Size Could Fuel Obesity Crisis (Study)

    Jun 25, 2018
  • The rainbow flag

    WHO Scraps Transgenderism from List of Mental Illnesses

    Jun 22, 2018
  • 456 People Dead at U.K. Hospital after Taking too Many Painkillers

    Jun 21, 2018
  • Young woman affected by depression

    If You Have PTSD You Were Likely Abused as a Child

    Jun 19, 2018
  • Obese dog on a leash

    Obese Dogs Can Help Us Better Understand How Obesity Works

    Jun 18, 2018
  • Our Brains Are Craving Combinations of Fats and Carbs (Study)

    Jun 15, 2018
  • Hungry bird with beck open

    Scientists Explain Why We Get ‘Hangry’

    Jun 13, 2018

Categories

  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • National News
  • Nature
  • Provo
  • Salt Lake News
  • Science
  • Sports
  • State News
  • Tech & Science
  • Technology
  • Uncategorized
  • West Jordan
  • West Valley City
  • World

Copyright © 2021 utahpeoplespost.com

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Site Map · Contact

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more.