ADHD medications stimulate alertness, motivation
Stimulants were long thought to act on parts of the brain that promote a person’s ability to pay attention. But new imaging techniques can let scientists take a more detailed look at how stimulants affect the brain. A research team led by Drs. Benjamin Kay and Nico Dosenbach of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis focused on the specific brain networks that ADHD stimulants act upon. Results appeared in Cell on December 24, 2025.
