Drug Information Consult Is Adderall

Drug Information Consult

Is Adderall useful for enhancing study and concentration habits amongst college students?

There has been a sharp increase in diagnoses of attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADHD). There has also been a sharp rise in the use of stimulant prescriptions such as Adderall to treat ADD an also an increase in non-prescribed, not medically necessary use of the drug to aid in concentration during study, particularly amongst college students.

Prevalence: The number of prescribed users of Adderall has increased rapidly as has the number of users who take the drug in contraindicated ways (1). Often they obtain the drug from friends who have been prescribed the drug by a doctor, or they procure the drug illegally, either through dealers or on the Internet. The drug has become as popular as illegal drugs as cocaine, LSD, and Ecstasy on many campuses (2). It is estimated that 1 in 5 college students have used the drug despite never having been diagnosed with having ADHD (3). A common excuse used by non-prescription users is that it makes them 'better than well' and isn't like other mind-altering drugs because it improves their focus and concentration. A common sentiment is: "I'm doing Adderall for the right reasons: not to get high, but to get higher grades" (4). This is not to deny the importance of treating ADHD: current studies indicate that "up to 65% of children with ADHD may still exhibit symptoms into adulthood and an estimated 4.4% of the U.S. adult populations are affected by ADHD" (5). But while ADHD sufferers say that the drug, when properly used, merely makes them feel normal, abusers say that it enables them to easily pull 'all-nighters' and gives them super-normal powers of concentration (1).

Pathophysiology: Adderall is an old drug -- it has been around since the 1960s -- and was originally marketed as an appetite suppressant although today it is used almost exclusively to treat ADD and ADHD (1). The precise neurology that causes ADHD is uncertain. Based upon looking at the brains of suffers with imaging techniques and comparing them with controls, a number of studies have hypothesized that suffers have a malfunction in the frontal cortex, which is "involved with primarily executive functions like reasoning, planning, focusing, and problem solving…it is in this part of the brain that dopamine, an important neurotransmitter, has been found to be deficient. Without proper concentrations of dopamine in the frontal cortex, these executive functions suffer" (4).

Adderall: Adderall is a combination of amphetamine salts which prevent the reuptake of dopamine and increases its uptake in the brain. It is available in 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 20, and 30mg doses (5). Dosage varies widely from patient to patient. Some patients stay on the drug for most of their lives, while others do not. "The increased dopamine flow in the frontal cortex then allows the brain to carry on its executive functions as a normal brain would, thus counteracting the effects of ADHD" (3).

Treatment of ADHD: Even for individuals with the illness for whom Adderall is most commonly prescribed,

"The effectiveness of ADDERALL® for long-term use has not been systematically evaluated in controlled trials," in a longitudinal fashion and is usually a part of a holistic treatment for the child or adult, combining behavior management and counseling as well as drug therapy (6). Adderall is not prescribed to individuals who merely wish to use it to get an 'edge' on studying. "The use of Adderall by those who are not prescribed is illegal across the United States. The Encyclopedia of Drugs and Addictive Substances said that it is regulated under federal laws and the possession of non-prescribed Adderall can result in imprisonment and fines. Those convicted for selling or giving away Adderall can also face imprisonment and fines up to $2 million." (7).

CONCLUSION: "Once you study with Adderall, studying under normal circumstances by comparison (is harder to do)," said one user (8). The drug is classified as a Schedule II drug according to the law -- a drug that can be legally prescribed, but is still considered highly addictive. As with treating ADHD, its effects vary from person to person -- some experience intense, jittery side effects while others do not respond to the drug. However, for individuals who abuse it, the drug can be both psychologically as well as physically addicted, particularly when taken at very high doses or 'snorted' in powdered form, to intensify the high.

REFERENCES:

1. Daley, Brooke. Perspective: Miracle drug? Adderall is prescribed for individuals with ADD and ADHD; for non-prescribed users there can be some serious risks Daily Pennsylvanian. April 20, 2004. Available at http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/ohe/library/drugs/adderall.htm Accessed on December 11, 2010.