Antidepressant treatment can normalize adult behavioral deficits induced by early-life exposure to methylphenidate.

Background: Methylphenidate (MPH) is prescribed for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Exposure to MPH before adulthood causes behavioral deficits later in life, including anxiety- and depression-like behaviors and decreased responding to natural and drug rewards. We examined the ability of fluoxetine (FLX), a selective serotonin reuptake blocker, to normalize these MPH-induced behavioral deficits.