title: DNA damage in rats after treatment with methylphenidate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Methylphenidate (MPH) is a widely prescribed psychostimulant for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Recently, some studies have addressed the genotoxic potential of the MPH, but the results have been contradictory. Hence, the present study aimed to investigate the index of cerebral and peripheral DNA damage in young and adult rats after acute and chronic MPH exposure.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used (1) single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet assay) to measure early DNA damage in hippocampus, striatum and total blood, and (2) micronucleus test in total blood samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results showed that MPH increased the peripheral index of early DNA damage in young and adult rats, which was more pronounced with chronic treatment and in the striatum compared to the hippocampus. Neither acute nor chronic MPH treatment increased micronucleus frequency in young or in adult rats. Peripheral DNA damage was positively correlated with striatal DNA damage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that MPH may induce central and peripheral early DNA damage, but this early damage may be repaired.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600 / Anexo, 90035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. ana_andreazza@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Ana Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Andreazza
authors.forename: Benício N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Frey
authors.forename: Samira S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Valvassori
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zanotto
authors.forename: Karin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Clarissa M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Comim
authors.forename: Carina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cassini
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stertz
authors.forename: Letícia C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Quevedo
authors.forename: Flavio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kapczinski
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berk
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001769:Blood / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020552:Comet Assay / Q000379:methods; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015162:Micronucleus Tests / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008774:Methylphenidate