Stimulant Medication and Brain Growth in Adults with ADHD

This short video reports the results of a recent study comparing the brains of stimulant treated adults with ADHD to those never treated with medication. It finds larger aspects of brain structure in certain brain regions in those treated for 1-5 years with stimulant medication vs. those never treated yet who also had ADHD. These results agree with more than 33 other studies that have found positive areas of brain growth in children, teens, and adults with ADHD when treated with medication. While the results are correlational, they imply that ADHD medication treatments may be linked to improved brain growth and functioning.

Reference:

How psychostimulant treatment changes the brain morphometry in adults with ADHD: sMRI Comparison study to medication-naïve adults with ADHD. S. Ghozy et al. (2025). Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging

[antine]

It is incredibly frustrating that despite millions of people taking stimulant medication for ADHD, there are so few (and such small) studies of long-term effects. Like we all want to know what to expect when we're older and if we're trading future health for present functioning. Thank you for your videos.

[doomguy]

Well that's good news for those of us with kids being properly treated for ADHD. Anecdotally, my own son was diagnosed and began treatment for ADHD around 8 years old and since then has been a lot better behaved and more successful at school than I ever was, having not been diagnosed or treated for my own ADHD until my mid thirties. Hopefully his brain has been experiencing these neuroprotective effects outlined in the study and will grow up to be a less impulsive man than his old man and lead a more peaceful and prosperous life than I have as a result.

[craptastrophe]

I compare it to muscle growth in someone with a neurological disease preventing them from walking who undergoes treatment that allows them to walk. The treatment enables normal function which stimulates growth.

[rafaelnossi]

Hi Dr. Rusell, I'm from Brazil and I watch your videos. I always recommend your YouTube channel. Thanks for making science simple and accessible to those without a scientific background.

[Prstss]

Heck yeah, I’m on year 3 of low dose stimulants and I’ve returned to school. I’m about to graduate at the end of the year. Then grad school for Masters in social work. Perfect timing for my brain to grow!

[johnmcfly-zfxh]

Please note us on future studies on this topic whenever you see one

[attisbarros]

Thanks, Dr. Russell. Just wanted to say we really appreciate you. I'm dropping this comment to share an experience I had a few years ago. I was diagnosed with AuDHD in 2020 and have been on Vyvanse since then. About three years ago, during a period of regular meditation (not sure if that was the cause), I started to feel a physical sensation, literally like a growing or expanding pressure around my prefrontal cortex. Ever since, my ability to retain information has noticeably improved, even over longer periods. It even made listening to others a lot easier, since I could actually hold on to what they were saying.

[Dude-swfz]

Could you make a video about rumination and overthinking and ADHD?

[Derprant-ve]

Thanks for continuing to share your expertise with us. Your work has not only helped me with managing my late diagnosed ADHD, but has also helped a lot in my general understanding of the nitty gritty of research in regards to efficacy and statistical importance etc. Half of me wants you to retire and relax, and the other (selfish) half wants you to continue doing these forever.

[jimwilliams]

Interesting. I’m someone in my sixties who was only diagnosed with ADHD a couple years ago after crashing hard. I’ve taken very low doses of ADHD meds, partly for good reasons and partly because I am very cautious of them. So I can’t imagine that I’ve seen any real brain growth. But that said, it feels to me like the meds have helped improve my ability to function even when I’ve been off them for a while. As if they’ve helped me repair some of the damage that I know my spiral did to me. I’m a bit less impulsive, and my capacity to sort relevant facts from irrelevant ones (always a big problem for me) is somewhat improved.

[mike]

I appreciate you highlighting the 25%-40% of people this tends to effect. Thanks for being thoughtful with the information you present!

[briangilliland]

Could you please share research on ideal nutrition for ADHD and if there are certain foods to eat and/or avoid?

[Janet-tz-qz]

My husband has ADHD, depression and was on medication for many years. When we moved and he had to get a new Doctor. Unfortunately because my husband was nearly 68, the Doctor said ADHD medication was not recommended for someone his age and he wouldn't renew his prescription. The Dr didn't even offer to wean him off the meds! He left him with no meds and had him go. God so kind a friend recommended us to mushrooms (psilocybin) precisely. After his experience with shrooms five years ago till now there's no more ADHD, depression and mental disorder. Shrooms are life changing. There is no way you can put into words what it feels like..

[fatalynn]

Your channel has been a godsend. I like to learn and understand things but I was so worried about being misinformed about ADHD. With your channel I’ve been able to learn to understand myself and this new diagnosis which has been helping as I go thru the interventions to get my life back in place

[thelaw]

Any chance you can do a video on ADHD and caffeine?

[Pierre-vt]

Thanks for this Russell. I think sleep disorders are underestimated with adhd. What do you think of me saying we should have kids and adults with adhd attend a sleep centre, ENT, and orthodontist to assess how well they oxigenate their PFC etc while sleeping?
Take care,
Pierre

[piotrjwolanin]

Any chance you could make a video about why ADHD medications don't help everyone who has ADHD? I'd be keen to know e.g. how the ~80% positive response to stimulants is calculated, what the remaining 20% could do, do genes play part in how people respond to meds, do high-functioning ADHD people have fewer benefits, what's the impact of co-morbid disorders, incorrect ADHD diagnosis, etc. Also thank you for another great video for the community :)

[nicolerymercox]

You're the best. Thank you for your channel. 💖

[ameliamadden]

Thank you!! Fascinating. Looking forward to further research on this. I wonder what factors may be unique to those 25% who demonstrate significant brain growth? What’s different about those 25%? I wonder what the criteria was for inclusion in the study and whether there were any differences between the 25% that demonstrated growth vs the 75% that did not in regard to ADHD presentation and severity. Factors present that hinder or promote plasticity? I want to read the full article now ha. And I’m curious to see more data on medication type, etc., too

Keep us posted!!

[nomedoreslapildoranmdp]

thank you for this information. your kind and sensitive tone make this video quite enjoyable, as well as interesting. You are very much appreciated for this as well as for the science.