An area known as the putamen, located deep in the center of the brain, helps to control movement and attention. Harvard researchers believe that the putamen is involved in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. The finding also suggests that Ritalin may not be effective in treating ADHD. When researchers examined hyperactive, inattentive boys with a new type of scanner, they found a reduced flow of blood into the putamen. When doctors gave the drug Ritalin to six of 11 of the boys in the study, blood flow into the putamen increased significantly. The same doses, however, decreased blood flow even further in five other boys.
