In the late 1950s, methylphenidate, in the combination drug Ritonic, was commercialised to alleviate the symptoms of chronic fatigue, depression and apathy in older adults. However, no randomised clinical trials had been conducted and it was withdrawn from the market a few years later, due to a lack of evidence of efficacy. Over fifty years later, studies of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and co-morbid mood disorders in patients of all ages have put this topic back on the agenda with more robust arguments.