title: Effects of methylphenidate on attention in Wistar rats treated with the neurotoxin N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine (DSP4).
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the neurotoxin N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine (DSP4) on attention in rats as measured using the 5-choice-serial-reaction-time task (5CSRTT) and to investigate whether methylphenidate has effects on DSP4-treated rats. Methylphenidate is a noradrenaline and dopamine reuptake inhibitor and commonly used in the pharmacological treatment of individuals with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Wistar rats were trained in the 5CSRTT and treated with one of three doses of DSP4 or saline. Following the DSP4 treatment rats were injected with three doses of methylphenidate or saline and again tested in the 5CSRTT. The treatment with DSP4 caused a significant decline of performance in the number of correct responses and a decrease in response accuracy. A reduction in activity could also be observed. Whether or not the cognitive impairments are due to attention deficits or changes in explorative behaviour or activity remains to be investigated. The treatment with methylphenidate had no beneficial effect on the rats' performance regardless of the DSP4 treatment. In the group without DSP4 treatment, methylphenidate led to a reduction in response accuracy and bidirectional effects in regard to parameters related to attention. These findings support the role of noradrenaline in modulating attention and call for further investigations concerning the effects of methylphenidate on attentional processes in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, 93040, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hauser
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, 93040, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reissmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, 93040, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas-A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Sontag
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tucha
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, 93040, Regensburg, Germany. Klaus.Lange@ur.de.
authors.forename: Klaus W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Lange
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001596:Benzylamines; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001596:Benzylamines; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D008774:Methylphenidate; C012102:DSP 4
keywords: Attention; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; DSP4; Methylphenidate; N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine; Rat