Methylphenidate for the Treatment of Epilepsy-related Cognitive Deficits

Methylphenidate (MPH) is a stimulant, FDA-approved for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is unknown, however, if stimulants would be of benefit for memory and thinking problems due to epilepsy. In this study, participants will be assigned randomly (i.e., by flip of a coin), to a group that takes MPH and a group that takes a placebo (sugar pill). Participants will not know the group to which they have been assigned. Tests of attention and memory will be completed before taking the study pills and at Week 8. All participants will then have the option of taking MPH for the next two months, and attention and memory will be tested again at Week 16. The study will determine whether methylphenidate is helpful for the treatment of attention and memory problems in adults with epilepsy, and whether the medication is safe and beneficial when taken over an extended time period.

NCT Number	NCT04419272
Lead Sponsor	VA Office of Research and Development Collaborators: VA New York Harbor Healthcare System, Portland VA Medical Center, Miami VA Healthcare System, VA Boston Healthcare System
Conditions	Epilepsy
Enrollment	226 participants
Start Date	2023-08-14
Primary Completion	2028-05-31 (estimated)
Study Completion	2028-05-31 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-04-20