Concerta and Depression

Depression was not reported as a common side effect of Concerta in short-term studies of children and teens. However, it was reported in 1.7 percent of adults. It's interesting to note that one off-label use of Concerta is to actually treat depression. To learn more about the relationship between Concerta and depression, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider.

ADHD Medication -- Concerta

Overview of Concerta and Depression

There are several possible side effects of Concerta^® (methylphenidate extended release). During clinical studies of methylphenidate, depression was one of the reported side effects of the medication. Interestingly, stimulants (such as Concerta) are also sometimes used to help treat depression.

Is Depression a Concerta Side Effect?

Before medicines are approved, they must go through several clinical studies in which thousands of people are given a particular medicine and are then compared to a group of people not given the medicine. In these studies, the side effects are always documented. As a result, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine. The side effects are then usually separated into those that occur in more than 1 percent of people and those that occur in less than 1 percent of people.

For people taking other forms of methylphenidate (the active ingredient in Concerta), depression was a reported side effect (although the specific frequency was not reported). For Concerta specifically, depression was not reported as a common side effect in short-term studies in children or teens. However, in adult studies, depression was reported in 1.7 percent of people who took Concerta, and a "depressed mood" was reported in up to 3.9 percent of adults.

(Concerta and Depression Continued: Page 2)