Universities of Strathclyde and Dundee - ADHD drugs do not harm memory

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have (ADHD) serious problems with short-term memory, which may explain their poor attention, according to research by academics from the universities of Strathclyde and Dundee. The study, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, found that the memory difficulties were part of ADHD, and not caused by medication such as Ritalin. Strathclyde psychology lecturer Sinead Rhodes, who supervised the study with Sarah Seth and David Coghill at Dundee, said: "Most of the research in this area has included children who have already been treated with medication, making it impossible (in those studies) to identify if earlier treatment has led to the observed memory difficulties the child shows."