Report: Ritalin May Alter Children's Brains

Ritalin may cause changes in the brains of young children taking the attention deficit disorder medication, a new study has found.

Researchers at Weill Medical College of Cornell University who injected young rats with Ritalin, a stimulant similar to amphetamine and cocaine, observed changes in the areas of the brain linked to decision-making, addiction, appetite, social relationships, and stress.

It's unclear whether the chemical changes in the brain benefit or harm children taking Ritalin, the study's lead author and a professor of neuroscience at Weill, Teresa Milner, said. While the changes might harm someone without an attention or hyperactivity disorder, it might help children with one, she said.