Increased Recall of Negative Memories Following Initial Methylphenidate Administration in a 6-Year-Old Boy With ADHD: A Case Report

Neuropsychopharmacol Rep. 2025 Jun;45(2):e70026. doi: 10.1002/npr2.70026.

ABSTRACT

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in childhood and can persist into adolescence and adulthood. Stimulants, particularly methylphenidate and amphetamines, are the first-line treatments for ADHD in children and adolescents. While the potential for stimulants to induce psychosis-like or mania-like symptoms in children has been recognized for decades, there have been no reported cases of increased recall of negative memories associated with methylphenidate. Here, we present a rare case in which an initial dose of 18 mg of Methylphenidate Hydrochloride Extended-Release Tablets led to increased recall of negative life events in a 6-year-old child with ADHD. Interestingly, the symptom resolved spontaneously the following day without discontinuing the medication, suggesting that it was an adaptive response rather than a toxic reaction.

PMID:40384427 | DOI:10.1002/npr2.70026