Blood Pressure Pill Shows Surprising Potential As ADHD Treatment

Amlodipine, a blood pressure drug, shows promise in reducing ADHD symptoms by targeting brain calcium channels.

Repurposing amlodipine, a widely used blood pressure medication, may help manage symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to an international study that included researchers from the University of Surrey.

Published in Neuropsychopharmacology, the study tested five potential drugs on rats bred to exhibit ADHD-like symptoms. Of these, only amlodipine significantly reduced hyperactivity.

To further investigate its effects, the researchers conducted tests on zebrafish, a valuable model for studying brain function due to their genetic similarity to humans, sharing approximately 70% of human genes. The results showed that amlodipine reduced both hyperactivity and impulsivity—key symptoms of ADHD. Additionally, further analysis confirmed that amlodipine crosses the blood-brain barrier, allowing it to directly affect brain function.

Genetic and Patient Data Support Amlodipine’s Potential

The researchers then turned to human genetic data and found that, remarkably, ADHD is linked to the same calcium channels in the brain as the targets for amlodipine. This suggests a potential target brain pathway for treatments. Finally, an analysis of UK-wide patient data showed that people taking amlodipine reported fewer mood swings and less risk-taking behavior, further supporting its potential as a new ADHD treatment.

Dr Matthew Parker, co-author of the study from the University of Surrey, said: “Repurposing amlodipine, a well-established blood pressure medication, offers a promising and swift pathway to address ADHD symptoms. Our research indicates that, due to its existing approval and safety profile, amlodipine could be rapidly redeployed as a treatment option for ADHD, potentially providing relief to patients sooner than developing new medications.”

Current ADHD medications are effective but come with significant side effects: from appetite loss, high blood pressure, headaches, and sleep disturbance and carry a risk of misuse. Amlodipine, which is already widely used and well-tolerated, could offer a new, safer treatment option for ADHD.

Around 25% of patients do not respond well to any current ADHD medication, highlighting the urgent need for new treatment options.

Reference: “Validation of L-type calcium channel blocker amlodipine as a novel ADHD treatment through cross-species analysis, drug-target Mendelian randomization, and clinical evidence from medical records” by Haraldur Þorsteinsson, Hannes A. Baukmann, Hildur S. Sveinsdóttir, Dagmar Þ. Halldórsdóttir, Bartosz Grzymala, Courtney Hillman, Jude Rolfe-Tarrant, Matthew O. Parker, Justin L. Cope, Charles N. J. Ravarani, Marco F. Schmidt and Karl Æ. Karlsson, 14 February 2025, Neuropsychopharmacology.
DOI: 10.1038/s41386-025-02062-x

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