FENFLURAMINE AND METHYLPHENIDATE IN CHILDREN WITH MENTAL-RETARDATION AND ATTENTION-DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER - LABORATORY EFFECTS

Twenty-eight children took part in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study of fenfluramine and methylphenidate. Fenfluramine dos age was gradually increased to a standardized dose of 1.5 mg/kg per da y, whereas methylphenidate was given in doses of 0.4 mg/kg per day. Th e children were assessed on laboratory tests of selective and sustaine d attention, visual matching, and color matching, during which seat ac tivity was monitored automatically. Results showed fenfluramine to be superior to placebo on the memory task, whereas methylphenidate reduce d commission errors on a continuous performance test. Methylphenidate caused shorter response times, and fenfluramine caused increases, on t wo of the tests. Examiner behavior ratings indicated significant impro vements with both drugs on the domains of attention, activity level, a nd mood. These findings, together with those from a companion clinical study, suggest that the drugs may have contrasting mechanisms of acti on, but both appear to have useful clinical effects in these children.