Could psychostimulant drug use among university students be related to ADHD symptoms? A preliminary study

Clément Caron; Thibaut Dondaine; Axel Bastien; Nathalie Chérot; Sylvie Deheul; Sophie Gautier; Olivier Cottencin; Sophie Moreau-Crépeaux; Régis Bordet; Louise Carton

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115630

Could psychostimulant drug use among university students be related to ADHD symptoms? A preliminary study

Psychiatry Res. 2024 Jan:331:115630. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115630. Epub 2023 Nov 25.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Pharmacology Department, Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine Department, CHU Lille, Addictovigilance Center, Lille F-59000, France.
² Lille Neuroscience and Cognition, Degenerative and Vascular Cognitive Disorders, Pharmacology Department, University of Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S1172, Lille F-59000, France.
³ Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine Department, CHU Lille, Lille F-59000, France.
⁴ University of Lille, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, EA 4483 - IMPECS - IMPact de l'Environnement Chimique sur la Santé humaine, Lille F-59000, France.
⁵ Pharmacology Department, CHU Lille, Addictovigilance Center, France.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, Plasticity & SubjectivitY (PSY) team, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition Centre (LiNC), CHU Lille, INSERM U-1172, France.
⁷ University of Lille, University Student Health Services, France.
⁸ Lille Neuroscience and Cognition, Degenerative and Vascular Cognitive Disorders, Pharmacology Department, University of Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S1172, Lille F-59000, France. Electronic address: louise.carton@univ-lille.fr.

PMID: 38043409
DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115630

Abstract

We aimed to explore if psychostimulant use among student could be linked to attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms using a self-administered questionnaire sent by email to French students in 2021. Participants were asked about their psychostimulant use and the presence of ADHD symptoms using the Wender Utah Rating Scale and the Adult Self-Report Scale. Among the 4431 respondents, the prevalence of psychostimulant use was concerning and significantly associated with ADHD symptoms. This association could be related to undiagnosed ADHD or to psychobehavioral impairments induced by psychostimulant use underlining the need of ADHD screening and targeted prevention measures.

Keywords: ADHD; Cognitive enhancement; Methylphenidate; Psychostimulant; Students.

MeSH terms

Adult
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* / drug therapy
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* / epidemiology
Central Nervous System Stimulants* / adverse effects
Humans
Students
Substance-Related Disorders* / drug therapy
Universities

Substances

Central Nervous System Stimulants