Effect of antidepressant drugs on the brain sphingolipid system.

Background: Major depression is a common mood disorder and the central sphingolipid system has been identified as a possible drug target of this condition. Here we investigated the action of antidepressant drugs on sphingolipid levels in rat brain regions, plasma and in cultured mouse macrophages.

Methods: Two antidepressant drugs were tested: the serotonin reuptake inhibitor paroxetine and the noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor desipramine, either following acute or chronic treatments.

Chronic methylphenidate regulates genes and proteins mediating neuroplasticity in the juvenile rat brain.

Methylphenidate (MPH) is the front-line psychostimulant medication prescribed for alleviating the symptoms associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. Here, we investigated the effects of chronic MPH (2.0mg/kg, twice daily for 15days) exposure to young rats (20-25days old at start of treatment) on the expression of genes and proteins associated with neuroplasticity, such as activity regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc), insulin receptor substrate protein 53 (IRSp53), cell division control protein 42 (Cdc42), and actin-related protein 2 (Arp2).