Download PDF
Pharmacopsychiatry 2003; 36(2): 79-82
DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-39049
Original Paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Methylphenidate Enhances Both Intracortical Inhibition and Facilitation in Healthy Adults

J. Kirschner1 , G. H. Moll2 , U. M. Fietzek3 , H. Heinrich2 , V. Mall1 , S. Berweck4 , F. Heinen4 , A. Rothenberger2
  • 1Department of Neuropediatrics and Muscle Diseases, Universitäts-Kinderklinik, Freiburg, Germany
  • 2Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Universitätsklinikum Göttingen, Germany
  • 3Department of Neurology, Universitätsklinikum Kiel, Germany
  • 4Children’s Hospital, Wedau Kliniken, Duisburg, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 21.8.2001 Revised: 12.7.2002

Accepted: 15.7.2002

Publication Date:
06 May 2003 (online)

Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to investigate the effect of the psychostimulant drug methylphenidate (MPH) on motor cortex excitability in healthy adults (n = 12) in a placebo-controlled, crossover design study. MPH caused an enhancement of intracortical inhibition as well as intracortical facilitation. Enhancement of both of these TMS parameters was unexpected and suggests that MPH exerts its action on the motor cortex not only through the dopaminergic neurotransmitter system.

References

  • 1 Aldrich M S, Prokopowicz G, Ockert K, Hollingsworth Z, Penney J B, Albin R L. Neurochemical studies of human narcolepsy: alpha-adrenergic receptor autoradiography of human narcoleptic brain and brainstem.  Sleep. 1994 Oct;  17(7) 598-608
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Barkley R A. Behavioral inhibition, sustained attention, and executive functions: constructing a unifying theory of ADHD.  Psychol Bull. 1997;  121 65-94
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Boroojerdi B, Battaglia F, Muellbacher W, Cohen L G. Mechanisms influencing stimulus-response properties of the human corticospinal system.  Clin Neurophysiol. 2001;  112 931-937
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Cepeda C, Radisavljevic Z, Peacock W, Levine M S, Buchwald N A. Differential modulation by dopamine of responses evoked by excitatory amino acids in human cortex.  Synapse. 1992;  11 330-341
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 DeLong M R. Primate models of movement disorders of basal ganglia origin.  Trends Neurosci. 1990;  13 281-285
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Fry J M. Treatment modalities for narcolepsy.  Neurology. 1998;  50 S43-48
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Kimko H C, Cross JT and Abernethy D R. Pharmacokinetics and clinical effectiveness of methylphenidate.  Clin Pharmacokinet. 1999;  37 457-470
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Kujirai T, Caramia M D, Rothwell J C, Day B L, Thompson P D, Ferbert A ,. et al . Corticocortical inhibition in human motor cortex.  J Physiol. 1993;  471 501-519
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Moll G H, Heinrich H, Trott G, Wirth S, Rothenberger A. Deficient intracortical inhibition in drug-naive children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is enhanced by methylphenidate.  Neurosci Lett. 2000;  284 121-125
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Plewnia C, Bartels M, Cohen L, Gerloff C. Noradrenergic modulation of human cortex excitability by the presynaptic alpha(2)-antagonist yohimbine.  Neurosci Lett. 2001;  307 41-44
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Radisavljevic Z, Cepeda C, Peacock W, Buchwald N A, Levine M S. Norepinephrine modulates excitatory amino acid-induced responses in developing human and adult rat cerebral cortex.  Int J Dev Neurosci. 1994;  12 353-361
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Solanto M V. Neuropsychopharmacological mechanisms of stimulant drug action in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a review and integration.  Behav Brain Res. 1998;  94 127-152
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Volkow N D, Ding Y S, Fowler J S, Wang G J, Logan J, Gatley J S,. et al . Is methylphenidate like cocaine? Studies on their pharmacokinetics and distribution in the human brain.  Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1995;  52 456-463
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Ziemann U, Lönnecker S, Steinhoff B J, Paulus W. Effects of antiepileptic drugs on motor cortex excitability in humans: a transcranial magnetic stimulation study.  Ann Neurol. 1996;  40 367-378
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Ziemann U, Rothwell JC and Ridding M C. Interaction between intracortical inhibition and facilitation in human motor cortex.  J Physiol. 1996;  496 873-881
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Ziemann U, Tergau F, Bruns D, Baudewig J, Paulus W. Changes in human motor cortex excitability induced by dopaminergic and anti-dopaminergic drugs.  Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol. 1997;  105 430-437
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar

Dr. Janbernd Kirschner (current address)

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

512 D Abramson Research Center

34th St and Civic Center Blvd

Philadelphia, PA 19104

USA

Email: Kirschnerj@email.chop.edu

Phone: (001)267-4265164

Fax: (001)215-5903709

      >