title: Differential sensitivity to the acute and sensitizing behavioral effects of methylphenidate as a function of strain in adolescent and young adult rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Behavioral effects of stimulant drugs are influenced by non-pharmacological factors, including genetic variability and age. We examined acute and sensitized locomotor effects of methylphenidate in adolescent and early adult male Sprague Dawley (SD), spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats using a drug regimen that differentiates clearly between initial and enduring differences in drug responsiveness. We probed for strain and age differences in the sensitizing effects of methylphenidate using a cocaine challenge. Methylphenidate was administered to the rats in a non-home environment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Strain differences in sensitivity to single methylphenidate injections depend on age and change with continuing drug pretreatment. While SHR rats are more sensitive to methylphenidate relative to WKY regardless of age and pretreatment day, SHR rats become more sensitive to methylphenidate than SD rats towards the end of pretreatment during early adulthood. SD rats exhibit greater sensitivity to methylphenidate relative to the WKY group during adolescence, an effect that dissipates with continued drug pretreatment during adulthood. Remarkably, only SHR rats, regardless of age, exhibit methylphenidate-induced cross-sensitization to the behavioral effects of cocaine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that SHR rats are more vulnerable than other strains to methylphenidate-induced cross-sensitization to cocaine, at least when methylphenidate is administered in a non-home environment. Given that SHR rats are typically used to model features of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, these findings may have important implications for the treatment of this disorder with methylphenidate.
authors.forename: Leora
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yetnikoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. a.arvanitogiannis@concordia.ca.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arvanitogiannis
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D008774:Methylphenidate; D003042:Cocaine