The first-of-a-kind brain-stimulation device approved to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the US has had its efficacy questioned, with scientists believing that its Food and Drug Administration (US) approval was based on too small a study.

It has long been assumed that psychostimulants help those with ADHD by acting on the brain’s attention circuitry. However, new research finds that this is not the case.

The FDA approved external trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS) in 2019 as the first non-drug device for treating ADHD, researchers said in background notes. The treatment involves placing electrodes on the foreheads of children with ADHD while they sleep.

Yet another study has found no evidence connecting exposure to acetaminophen before birth and the development of conditions like autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

What's it like having ADHD when you are 11 years old and are expected to get on with your schoolwork just like everyone else?

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2026 (HealthDay News) — For decades, doctors assumed ADHD medications like Ritalin and Adderall work by fixing problems in the brain’s attention system. A new study suggests that assumption may be wrong.