system
Medical AI Inquiry: You were designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.
user
A 9-year-old boy is brought to the clinic by his dad for an annual well-child exam. The boy was diagnosed with ADHD at an outside clinic and has been on methylphenidate for symptom management for the past year. The father reports that the patient is more energetic but that his teacher still complains of him "spacing out" during class. The patient reports that it is difficult to follow in class sometimes because the teacher would just “skip ahead suddenly.” He denies any headaches, vision changes, fever, or abdominal pain, but endorses decreased appetite since starting methylphenidate. What is the mechanism of action of the drug that is the most appropriate for this patient at this time?
assistant
Blockage of thalamic T-type calcium channels