Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): From Abnormal Behavior to Impairment in Synaptic Plasticity.

Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with high incidence in children and adolescents characterized by motor hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has revealed that neuroanatomical abnormalities such as the volume reduction in the neocortex and hippocampus are shared by several neuropsychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder and ADHD. Furthermore, the abnormal development and postnatal pruning of dendritic spines of neocortical neurons in schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability are well documented.

Methylphenidate Restores Behavioral and Neuroplasticity Impairments in the Prenatal Nicotine Exposure Mouse Model of ADHD: Evidence for Involvement of AMPA Receptor Subunit Composition and Synaptic Spine Morphology in the Hippocampus.

In ADHD treatment, methylphenidate (MPH) is the most frequently used medication. The present work provides evidence that MPH restored behavioral impairments and neuroplasticity due to changes in AMPAR subunit composition and distribution, as well as maturation of dendritic spines, in a prenatal nicotine exposure (PNE) ADHD mouse model. PNE animals and controls were given a single oral dose of MPH (1 mg/kg), and their behavior was tested for attention, hyperactivity, and working memory.

Atomoxetine Reestablishes Long Term Potentiation in a Mouse Model of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent psychiatric childhood disorder, characterized by hyperactivity, impulsivity and impaired attention, treated most frequently with methylphenidate (MPH). For children and adults with ADHD who do not respond satisfactorily or do not tolerate well stimulants such as MPH or D-Amphetamine, for them the alternative is to use Atomoxetine (ATX), a norepinephrine (NE) transporter inhibitor that increase extracellular NE. We examined the effects of ATX on behavior and hippocampal synaptic plasticity in the murine prenatal nicotine exposure (PNE) model of ADHD.

Single and Repeated Administration of Methylphenidate Modulates Synaptic Plasticity in Opposite Directions via Insertion of AMPA Receptors in Rat Hippocampal Neurons.

Methylphenidate (MPH) is widely used in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Several lines of evidence support that MPH can modulate learning and memory processes in different ways including improvement and impairment of test performances. A relevant factor in the efficacy of treatment is whether administration is performed once or several times.

Methylphenidate amplifies long-term potentiation in rat hippocampus CA1 area involving the insertion of AMPA receptors by activation of β-adrenergic and D1/D5 receptors.

Methylphenidate (MPH, Ritalin©) is widely used in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and recently as a drug of abuse. Although the effect of MPH has been studied in brain regions such as striatum and prefrontal cortex (PFC), the hippocampus has received relatively little attention. It is known that MPH increases the TBS-dependent Long Term Potentiation (LTP) in the CA1 area.