Oral methylphenidate improves spatial learning and memory in pre- and periadolescent rats.
Methylphenidate (MPD) is widely prescribed for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the United States. Patients, mostly school-age children, are taking the drug orally. To simulate the human condition, the authors used a cracker to administer methylphenidate orally (without the stress of handling) from Postnatal Day (PND) 22 to PND 40 and determined the effects of daily low-dose administration on the learning and performance of a radial arm maze win-shift task with all 8 arms baited. Number of entries to repeat, time to finish 8 entries, and days to reach criterion (at least 7 entries without errors for 4 out of 5 consecutive trials) were evaluated. An improvement during the first 7 days was revealed in both male and female rats treated with 3.0 mg/kg of oral methylphenidate compared with the controls. On PND 40, locomotor activity levels were not significantly different in the 3.0 mg/kg treated group compared with the controls during the initial 5 min or during the full 1 hr of recording. These data suggest that oral administration of low-dose MPD improves spatial learning and memory in both male and female preadolescent rats.
Zhu
Ning
N
Neural and Behavioral Sciences Program, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA.
Weedon
Jeremy
J
Dow-Edwards
Diana L
DL
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012737:Sex Factors
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008774:Methylphenidate