ADHD News & Research

New ADHD Treatment Database Compares Stimulants, Non-Stimulants, and Non-Drug Options

Researchers have opened up to patients a massive, interactive store of evidence on the efficacy and side effects of drug and non-drug interventions for ADHD designed to improve treatment education and outcomes.

By Nicole C. Kear Updated on December 22, 2025
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December 22, 2025

A wealth of detailed, data-driven information on the efficacy and side effects of ADHD interventions now exists in a free, interactive platform called Evidence Based Interventions-ADHD (EBI-ADHD), the product of a massive umbrella review published in the British Medical Journal.1

EBI-ADHD was created to satisfy the need for accessible information about a wide array of ADHD interventions, and its findings were drawn from 221 meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials that explore ADHD treatments in adults and kids, as well as from the ADHD community itself.

“The platform is made to be user-friendly, and to help people make informed choices about what they really care about,” said Samuele Cortese, M.D., Ph.D., senior author on the study, in a recent ADDitude webinar titled “Heart Health and ADHD Treatment: Implications of Stimulant Use for Adults.” “It is based on a huge analysis of the literature — we analyzed data from more than 50,000 people — but it is also based on the experience and the recommendation of people with lived experience.”

Information on the EBI-ADHD platform is extensive and can be sorted according to various filters, including the following:

  • Age group
    • Preschoolers
    • Children
    • Adults
  • Treatment type
    • Medication (12 types, including stimulants and non-stimulants)
    • Psychosocial (8 types)
    • Lifestyle (9 types)
    • Brain stimulation (3 types)

The platform contains data on the impact of the various treatment types on ADHD symptoms, as rated by:

  • Clinicians
  • Teachers
  • Parents
  • Patients
  • A combination of the above

The database also contains information about side effects such as:

Also included are measures of:

  • Acceptability (discontinuation for any reason)
  • Tolerability (discontinuation due to side effects)

For each measurement, evidence quality (very low to high) is given.

Most Effective ADHD Medication: Findings

Most Effective ADHD Medication for Children

The researchers found moderate- to high-certainty evidence that the following medications had medium to large effect sizes for ADHD symptoms in children:

On average, methylphenidate was found to be the most tolerable for children (better than placebo). Amphetamine showed worse tolerability than placebo, with moderate-certainty evidence.

This finding was supported by another recent study which focused on the efficacy and mechanism of action of methylphenidate.2 Participants were stimulant-naïve 8- to 12-year-old children with ADHD. They received an MRI while completing tasks that measured attentional control and impulsivity — once without medication and once after a dose of methylphenidate. The MRIs revealed that methylphenidate decreased variability and increased stability in the brain.

“We found that whole brain flexibility decreased on methylphenidate,” the study’s authors wrote. “Further, individuals with greater decreases in whole brain flexibility on methylphenidate exhibited greater improvements in task performance.”

According to the most recent ADDitude treatment survey, which recorded responses from more than 11,000 participants:

  • 52% of children taking medication for ADHD use methylphenidate, and their caregivers rate it 3.09 out of 5 for efficacy
  • 34% take a form of amphetamine and their caregivers rated it 3.06 out of 5

Most Effective ADHD Medication for Adults

The researchers found moderate-certainty evidence of medium effect sizes for the following ADHD treatments for adults:

Though other medications, including alpha 2 agonists, showed large effect sizes, the evidence was low or very low certainty.

The ADDitude treatment survey found that, among adults taking medication for ADHD symptoms:

  • 30% take a form of methylphenidate, and they rate it 2.96 out of 5 for efficacy
  • 62% take a form of amphetamine, and they rate it 2.96 out of 5

Most Effective Non-Medication Interventions

Only one non-medication intervention, cognitive behavioral therapy, had moderate-certainty evidence of efficacy in managing ADHD symptoms in adults, according to clinicians.

The ADDitude survey found that 46% of adults have tried cognitive behavioral therapy, and 81% of those recommend it to others.

Acupuncture, mindfulness, and physical training showed large effect sizes on both ADHD symptoms and secondary outcomes, such as academic performance and quality of life, however the evidence certainty was low or very low, because of small sample sizes, trial limitations, and lack of data on acceptability, tolerability, and side effects. Mindfulness was the only intervention to show large effects at extended follow-up; the efficacy of all other interventions was short term.

Effect of Interventions on Other Outcomes

In children and adolescents, moderate-certainty evidence found that

  • Amphetamines showed medium improvements in academic performance
  • Atomoxetine showed small to medium improvements on quality of life

In adults, moderate- or high-certainty evidence found that:

  • Atomoxetine showed small improvements on emotional dysregulation
  • Methylphenidate showed small improvements on executive functions

The international team of researchers behind EBI-ADHD hopes the free, user-friendly tool will empower patients with information about the diverse breadth of treatment options available today, so they can actively participate in shared decision making with their providers.

“Long waiting lists for mental health services are a major issue. Having incorrect information about treatments can make people’s journeys even more difficult, by wasting time and money on non-evidence-based approaches,” said Corentin Gosling, Ph.D., an associate professor at the Paris Nanterre University and first lead author of the study, in a press release. “Taking the time to review all treatment options within a shared decision-making process using the web app we developed can empower people with ADHD, leading to better treatment adherence, improved outcomes, and an overall better patient experience.”

View Article Sources

1Gosling C J, Garcia-Argibay M, De Prisco M, Arrondo G, Ayrolles A, Antoun S et al. Benefits and harms of ADHD interventions: umbrella review and platform for shared decision making BMJ 2025; 391 :e085875 doi:10.1136/bmj-2025-085875

2Nugiel, T., Fogleman, N.D., Lyons, M.G. et al. Methylphenidate stabilizes dynamic brain network organization during tasks probing attention and reward processing in stimulant-naïve children with ADHD. Transl Psychiatry 15, 488 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03694-9