AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Huberman Lab
Adderall, Stimulants & Modafinil for ADHD: Short- & Long-Term Effects
May 29, 2023
01:58:02
AI Summary
Highlights
AI Chapters
Episode notes
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- ADHD stimulant treatments, such as Adderall, Ritalin, and Vivance, work by increasing dopamine and norepinephrine to improve focus and reduce impulsivity.
- Finding the right drug and dosage for treating ADHD requires individual assessment and consultation with a qualified psychiatrist.
- ADHD medications enhance the coordination and communication between brain networks involved in attention and focus.
- Neuroplasticity plays a key role in the effectiveness of ADHD medications, promoting long-term improvements in focus-related brain networks.
- Properly prescribed ADHD medications have long-term positive effects, improving performance in school and reducing the risk of illicit drug use in adulthood.
Deep dives
ADHD stimulant treatment: Improving symptoms and understanding the drugs
ADHD stimulant treatments, such as Adderall, Ritalin, and Vivance, are widely used to improve symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. These drugs work by increasing the activity of dopamine and norepinephrine, which play key roles in attention, focus, and motivation. By increasing these neurotransmitters, the drugs help reduce the background noise in the brain and enhance the signals related to tasks that require attention. The effectiveness of the drugs depends on finding the right dosage and timing for each individual. It is important to note that ADHD is a complex condition with variations in symptomology, and treatment requires careful assessment and consultation with a qualified psychiatrist.
Different types of ADHD drugs and their mechanisms
There are various drugs used to treat ADHD, including Adderall, Vivance, Ritalin, and methylphenidate. Adderall and Vivance, which contain amphetamine salts, increase the release and transmission of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, reducing noise and improving focus. Ritalin, or methylphenidate, mainly increases dopamine transmission. Each drug has slightly different mechanisms, affecting dopamine and norepinephrine levels to different extents, while aiming to strike the right balance for optimal focus and reduced impulsivity. Finding the right drug and dosage depends on individual response and should be done with the guidance of a qualified psychiatrist.
Understanding ADHD and the brain networks involved in attention
ADHD involves challenges in attention and focus, and it is not simply a deficiency in dopamine or norepinephrine. The brain networks responsible for attention, such as the prefrontal cortex, involve complex interactions between multiple neurotransmitters. ADHD is associated with hyperactivity and impulsivity, as well as difficulties in focusing on tasks. The drugs used for treatment increase dopamine and norepinephrine levels, which help reduce the background noise in the brain and enhance the signals related to attention and focus. However, dosing and individual variations in response play a crucial role in finding the right balance of neurotransmitter activity.
Effective and individualized treatment for ADHD
Treating ADHD requires careful assessment and individualized approaches. The goal is to find the right drug and dosage to enhance the coordination and communication between brain networks involved in attention and focus. By modulating dopamine and norepinephrine levels, the drugs reduce distractions and improve the ability to concentrate on specific tasks. It is important to work with a qualified psychiatrist to fine-tune the treatment and consider individual sensitivity and variations in symptomology. Proper dosage, timing, and duration of medication are crucial factors that should be monitored to ensure optimal results and minimize potential side effects.
The Role of Neuroplasticity in Treating ADHD
Neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to change in response to experience, plays a key role in the effectiveness of drugs like Adderall, Vivance, and Ritalin in treating ADHD. Neuroplasticity is induced by strongly activating certain brain networks, leading to elevated release of neuromodulators such as dopamine and norepinephrine. This elevation in neuromodulators promotes the strengthening of synapses, enhancing the functioning of focus-related brain networks even after cessation of the drug. This highlights the importance of prescribing these drugs to promote not only immediate focus improvement but also long-term neuroplastic changes.
Long-Term Benefits of ADHD Medication
Children with ADHD who receive appropriate doses of drugs like Adderall, Ritalin, or Vivance show improved performance in school and enhanced focusing abilities both during childhood and later in life. Studies indicate that proper medication, combined with behavioral treatments, yields better outcomes for ADHD patients. Taking these medications during development also reduces the risk of illicit drug use and addictive behaviors in adulthood. While dosage varies greatly among individuals, the long-term positive effects of ADHD medications outweigh the potential risks, emphasizing the importance of accurate diagnosis and comprehensive treatment approaches.
Considerations for ADHD Medication Dosage and Long-Term Use
Finding the right dosage for ADHD medications can be challenging and highly individualized. Response to dosage varies based on numerous factors, including body weight, metabolic enzymes, and neuroplasticity. Physicians carefully monitor dosage to achieve optimal benefits of improved focus and reduced impulsivity, while minimizing side effects. Long-term use of ADHD medication does not impede overall height or development and does not appear to increase the risk of substance abuse or addiction. However, continuous communication with a qualified psychiatrist is essential to assess dosage adjustments, potential side effects, and support overall cardiovascular and hormonal health.
Cortisol and its role
Cortisol is a hormone that acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain and a hormone in the body. It enhances focus, activates the immune system, and combats bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. Cortisol also affects mood and interacts with thyroid hormone pathways. The timing of cortisol release is crucial, as elevated levels in the late day are correlated with depressive symptoms.
ADHD medication and its effects
ADHD medications, particularly sympathomimetic drugs like Adderall, can disrupt the endocrine system by elevating cortisol levels. Chronic cortisol elevation can suppress testosterone and estrogen production, leading to various physical and psychological effects. However, appropriately prescribed ADHD medications have a low risk of inducing psychosis and addiction. Other medications like guanphosine, which works on noradrenergic systems, are used as non-stimulant alternatives for ADHD treatment, but they have their own associated effects and considerations.
In this episode, I explain how medications such as Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse and other stimulants work to increase focus and treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). I explain the brain circuits involved in focus and the key roles dopamine and norepinephrine play in their regulation. Then I explain how stimulants such as Adderall and Vyvanse can increase focus and reduce hyperactivity in kids or adults with ADHD, and how and why Ritalin and other medications (e.g., Modafinil, Guanfacine) may work better for some. I explain the long-term effects of ADHD medications on height, cardiovascular health, hormones, predisposition to addiction and psychosis, and whether these treatments can be used and then stopped. I also discuss the immense individual variation in dosage sensitivity for these medications and the negative side-effects that occur from recreational use. This episode ought to benefit anyone with ADHD, their parents, those on ADHD medications or anyone curious about how these medications work.
For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.
Thank you to our sponsors
AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman
LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab
Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman
Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman
Timestamps
(00:00:00) Stimulants & Attention-Deficient/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
(00:03:38) Sponsors: LMNT & Waking Up
(00:06:35) The Brain-Body Contract
(00:07:22) Attention, Prefrontal Cortex & ADHD
(00:16:27) Stimulants “Sympathomimetics”
(00:21:29) Adderall, Dopamine & Norepinephrine
(00:25:58) Sympathomimetics, Dopamine & Norepinephrine
(00:27:21) Sponsor: AG1
(00:32:20) Vyvanse is Timed-Release D-Amp
(00:36:36) Ritalin, Concerta
(00:40:10) Dopamine & “Noise Reduction”; Norepinephrine & “Signal Amplification”
(00:45:28) ADHD: Focus, Hyperactivity & Impulsivity; Drug Selection & Dose
(00:50:57) How do Stimulants ‘Calm’ ADHD?
(00:54:480 Neuroplasticity & Neuromodulators
(00:58:06) Kids, ADHD Diagnosis & Treatment; Predispose Addiction?
(01:05:12) ADHD Medications: Individuality, Doses, Tapering & Long-Term Use
(01:13:28) Medication & Long-Term Effects: Height, Cardiovascular Risk, Alcohol
(01:19:32) Cortisol & Hormones
(01:27:45) Psychosis & Addiction; Methamphetamine
(01:38:20) Recreational Use, Addiction & Psychosis; Habituation
(01:42:30) Drug Holidays; Ritalin & Long-Term Effects
(01:45:35) Modafinil, Armodafinil; Side-Effects
(01:53:03) Guanfacine, Alcohol
(01:58:03) ADHD Medications
(02:00:26) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter
Get the Snipd
podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered
Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any
moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share
& Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode