Clinical effects of methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release tablets on improvement of intelligence and behavior in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

This study aimed to investigate the impacts of methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release tablets on intelligence and behavior in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. One hundred and twenty children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder admitted to Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China from January 2023 to January 2025 were included and randomly divided into a control group and a study group. The study group adopted methylphenidate hydrochloride extended release tablets. The control group adopted placebo. Compared with the control group, the study group had an increase in intelligence level scores, self-awareness scores and quality of life scores as well as a decrease in behavior scores and clinical symptoms scores following 12 weeks of treatment. Compared with the control group, 5-hydroxytryptamine, norepinephrine and dopamine levels in the study group were higher after 12 weeks of treatment. However, the above indicators showed no differences in the control group between before and after treatment. We conclude that methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release tablets improve the intelligence level, attention and behavior problems, promote self-awareness and quality of life, and improve the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder..