ADHD Drugs Burn Out Nerves Causing Later Life Memory Problems

The major problem with giving speed-like medication to children and adolescents in an effort to help them focus is that the substances are highly excitotoxic. Any benefit in terms of short-term cognitive improvement is traded off against long-term destruction of nerves.

The latest study on this topic¹ was presented this week at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Chicago. The study shows that rats exposed to amphetamines at an age that corresponds to the later years of human adolescence display significant memory deficits as adults - long after the exposure ends. Lead researcher Joshua Gulley concludes “This tells us that their working memory capacity has been significantly altered by that pre-exposure to amphetamine.”

The simple fact of the matter is that ADHD meds are like using a credit card, over-exciting nerves so they seem to perform better. However, the friction created by this process is highly inflammatory and has long term consequences that signify accelerated nerve decline in older age.

This is not the first study on this subject and it won’t be the last. There have been a number of animal studies showing these drugs induce long-term nerve damage. Numerous other adverse side effects have been reported including stunted growth, cardiovascular disease, psychosis, mania, hallucinations, seizures, liver toxicity, and suicidal behavior. (Studies and data are in Chapter 3 of Fight for Your Health: Exposing the FDA’s Betrayal of America.)