Low-dose drugs used to treat ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) can help you concentrate on the road when driving for long periods of time, but there is a risk that your mind will wander during monotonous sections.
Researchers at Swinburne University in Australia were curious about the risks and benefits of pharmaceuticals. Methylphenidate It can affect your ability to drive, especially for people who don’t have ADHD.
to 90 percent Eight people being treated for ADHD are prescribed this drug, which is commonly sold under the brand name Ritalin. For people taking ADHD medication, driving without it can be a bit like driving without glasses.
Adults with ADHD more at risk for traffic accidentmotor vehicle injury; Traffic tickets and sudden braking events. The following is known to occur when taking methylphenidate: Improves driving performance. All of this probably contributes to the fact that ADHD medications can literally extend the lifespan of some people by years.
However, many people take methylphenidate without a prescription. In the United States alone, 5 million adults misuse prescription stimulants by taking them in high doses, for long periods of time, or simply without a script. It is important that these people, especially those tasked with long and tedious journeys, are aware of the effects they may face while driving under the influence of unapproved stimulants.
This study enrolled 25 mentally and physically healthy drivers who had not been diagnosed with ADHD to examine how methylphenidate affected driving performance.
Volunteers were given 10 mg of methylphenidate or a placebo 85 minutes before getting behind the wheel of a driving simulator that mimics a car. 105 kilometers (65 miles) of two-way, four-lane highway with standard Australian road signs and markings. The experiment was conducted twice, with different participants assigned a placebo and a drug.
They were asked to “drive” in the far left lane for 40 minutes while maintaining a constant speed of 100 kilometers per hour. Depending on traffic conditions, you may have to pass other vehicles.
While participants focused on the “road,” a machine carefully monitored their eye movements, tracking the duration and speed of their gaze via a driver-facing camera mounted on the dashboard, and a computer recorded how far the driver deviated from the center of the road. their lane.
Mathematical algorithms assessed how dispersed or focused the driver’s gaze was during the task, and how random or structured the driver’s visual scanning behavior was.
”“Methylphenidate significantly improved driving performance by reducing lane meandering and speed fluctuations, especially during the second half of the drive,” the authors said. report.
“We observed a significant reduction in fixation duration, while all other ocular metrics remained unchanged.”
Methylphenidate reduced the performance decline that drivers typically experience during driving tasks, and compared to a placebo, drivers who took the drug had better control of their vehicle and were able to maintain a more constant speed. .
People’s visual scans didn’t have any problems, but they didn’t seem to improve either.
Previous research concerns about the “tunnel vision” effect associated with psychostimulants, which can limit a driver’s ability to react when sudden or unexpected obstacles intrude from the environment, such as pedestrians or cars. was raised.
This effect did not appear in the latest study, but the authors suggest that it may be due to the use of relatively low doses over a short period of time.
This study did not capture effects that may be seen with higher doses or long-term intake. write,”It is probably more common in real-world misuse scenarios and is probably associated with road traffic accidents. ”
”There is a clear need for further research in this area, particularly studies aimed at identifying the more pronounced changes in ocular behavior caused by methylphenidate and other psychostimulants.” . conclude.
This study Journal of Psychopharmacology.
