ICYMI: ADHD Meds May Work on Unexpected Brain Regions

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Stimulants prescribed to treat ADHD may not affect brain regions associated with attention, but might instead be most influential in those linked to arousal and reward, according to a study published December 2025 in Cell. Comparing fMRI brain scans from nearly 12,000 adolescents in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study who either took stimulant medication or who did not, researchers found the stimulant group experienced more activity in brain regions governing wakefulness and reward, but found no differences between the groups in brain areas associated with attention. The findings suggest drugs like Ritalin and Vyvanse may work not by improving kids’ ability to pay attention, but by increasing their alertness and making the act of working on a task feel more rewarding, according to the researchers involved. The team also concluded these drugs can counteract some of the short-term cognitive consequences of getting poor sleep.

Big Picture: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 11% of kids between the ages of 3 and 17 in the U.S. — amounting to 7 million children and teens — have been diagnosed with ADHD. Millions of these kids take ADHD medication to treat the condition, while others skip pharmaceutical intervention and instead pursue behavioral therapy. Understanding how exactly these medications alter the brain is crucial for all people who use them, kids and adults alike. Researchers involved with this study called for more inquiry as to how long-term use of stimulants affects brain function, according to WashU Medicine.

Read More: ADHD drugs may work indirectly to boost attention. NPR

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About the Author

Bella Isaacs-Thomas

Bella is the Staff Writer and Editor for BrainFacts. She previously worked as a digital science reporter at PBS NewsHour, where she was named a fellow in the 2022-2023 class of the National Science-Health-Environment Reporting Fellowships (SHERF) and earned a 2021 D.C. Science Writers Association Newsbrief Award for writing. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor's degree in 2018.