Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Comment
  • Published:

Revving up possibilities: can psychostimulants enhance physical function in children with cerebral palsy?

Pediatric Research volume 95, pages 1184–1185 (2024)Cite this article

Commentary on the “Effect of psychostimulant medications on physical function in children with cerebral palsy: scoping review by Almutairi et al.”

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common lifelong physical disability, generating substantial burdens of care and cost for families. The discovery and validation of new treatments are crucial for individuals with CP and their families, given the absence of a cure. The current management of CP involves a combination of rehabilitation interventions to enhance physical skills, along with pharmacological and surgical treatments aimed at alleviating physical symptoms such as spasticity.1 The existing array of pharmacological agents provides variable benefits, albeit with accompanying side effects.1 Families demonstrate a profound commitment to using intensive, task-specific rehabilitation interventions that entail daily practice to enhance physical skills. While these interventions may yield moderate to large effect sizes, they often necessitate years of dedication and impose considerable time, effort, and cost burdens on families. Families actively seek treatments that provide significant benefits while minimizing burdens.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Novak, I. et al. State of the evidence traffic lights 2019: systematic review of interventions for preventing and treating children with cerebral palsy. Curr. Neurol. Neurosci. Rep. 20, 1–21 (2020).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Almutairi, A., Alrashdi, N., Vogtle, L. & Alotaibi M. M. Effect of psychostimulant medications on physical function in children with cerebral palsy: scoping review. Pediatr. Res. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-023-02933-3 (2023).

  3. Docherty, J. R. & Alsufyani, H. A. Pharmacology of drugs used as stimulants. J. Clin. Pharmacol. 61, S53–S69 (2021).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Mckenzie, A. et al. The effects of psychostimulants on cognitive functions in individuals with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review. J. Psychiatr. Res. 149, 252–259 (2022).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Heijtz, R. D., Almeida, R., Eliasson, A. C. & Forssberg, H. Genetic variation in the dopamine system influences intervention outcome in children with cerebral palsy. EBioMedicine 28, 162–167 (2018).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Påhlman, M., Gillberg, C. & Himmelmann, K. Autism and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children with cerebral palsy: high prevalence rates in a population‐based study. Dev. Med. Child. Neurol. 63, 320–327 (2021).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Gross-Tsur, V., Shalev, R. S., Badihi, N. & Manor, O. Efficacy of methylphenidate in patients with cerebral palsy and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). J. Child Neurol. 7, 863–866 (2001).

    Google Scholar 

  8. World Health Organization. International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: ICF. (WHO, Geneva, 2001).

  9. Wallen, M., O’Flaherty, S. J. & Waugh, M. C. A. Functional outcomes of intramuscular botulinum toxin type A and occupational therapy in the upper limbs of children with cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial. Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 88, 1–10 (2007).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. The Adaptive Platform Trials Coalition. Adaptive platform trials: definition, design, conduct and reporting considerations. Nat. Rev. Drug. Discov. 18, 797–807 (2019).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Iona Novak, Alexandra R. Griffin, Remy Blatch-Williams, Karin Lind & Maria Mc Namara

  2. Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Institute, Specialty of Child & Adolescent Health, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine & Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Iona Novak, Michelle Jackman, Alexandra R. Griffin, Remy Blatch-Williams, Esther Norfolk, Karin Lind, Daniel Polybank & Maria Mc Namara

  3. Department of Paediatrics, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Alexandra R. Griffin

Authors
  1. Iona Novak
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michelle Jackman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alexandra R. Griffin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Remy Blatch-Williams
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Esther Norfolk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Karin Lind
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Daniel Polybank
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Maria Mc Namara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Iona Novak.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Novak, I., Jackman, M., Griffin, A.R. et al. Revving up possibilities: can psychostimulants enhance physical function in children with cerebral palsy?. Pediatr Res 95, 1184–1185 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-023-03010-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-023-03010-5

Search

Advanced search

Quick links