Methylphenidate Enhances Both Intracortical Inhibition and Facilitation in Healthy Adults

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.

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