Non-medical use of methylphenidate: a review

introduction: methylphenidate is a psychostimulant medication used for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. however, it has also been used for non-medical purposes, e.g. to produce euphoria, to increase self-esteem, and to achieve the so-called neurocognitive enhancement, decreasing the feeling of tiredness and increasing focus and attention. objective: to describe, from theoretical and contextual points of view, the potential for abuse and non-medical use of methylphenidate. method: the pubmed, scielo and cochrane databases were searched using the following keywords in portuguese: metilfenidato, transtorno do déficit de aten？？o com hiperatividade, facilitadores dos processos cognitivos or agentes nootrópicos, and abuso de substancias; and in english: methylphenidate, attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity, cognitive enhancement or nootropic agents, and substance abuse. studies published between 1990 and 2010 were selected for review. results: non-medical use of methylphenidate is a relevant topic that raises important ethical and scientific questions in several areas, e.g. pharmacological and neurobiological characteristics, evidence of methylphenidate use, forms of non-medical use of methylphenidate, mechanisms of action, and therapeutic application of methylphenidate. according to the review, methylphenidate can generally influence performance as a result of its stimulatory effect. notwithstanding, evidence does not support the conclusion that it can enhance cognitive performance. conclusion: health professionals need to acquire expert knowledge and inform patients and their families on the methylphenidate potential for abuse when used with non-medical purposes.