Reproductive parameters of female Wistar rats treated with methylphenidate during development

Abstract

Methylphenidate (MPH), a psychoactive agent that acts mainly by blocking the uptake of dopamine, is the main drug used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children and adolescents. During development, important changes in brain architecture and plasticity occur, these changes, sensitive to exposure to stimulant drugs, are important in the control of GnRH secretion, influencing the release of sex hormones throughout the ovarian cycle. This study investigated the effects of repeated treatment with MPH during development on reproductive parameters of adult female rats. Wistar rats received MPH 2.5mg/kg, MPH 5.0mg/kg, or tap water (gavage) from postnatal day (PND) 21 to PND 60. From PND 75, one subgroup of females was selected for evaluation of estrous cycle, estradiol levels, weight of sexual organs, and histomorphological analysis of ovary follicles and uterus. In another subgroup, the sexual and maternal behaviors were evaluated at PND 90 and on lactational day 5, respectively. No significant alterations were observed in the MPH groups. This study demonstrated that repeated administration of MPH during the period corresponding to childhood to early adulthood does not interfere in the reproductive function of female rats in adulthood.

Impaired reproduction after exposure to ADHD drugs: Systematic review of animal studies

“…Another study with ten rats in each group found vaginal opening to be delayed for a minimum of six days; vaginal opening remained poor throughout the entire 30-day study for six of the treated rats [ 28 ]. In contrast, two other studies, with 42 vs 28 [ 37 ] and 30 vs 10 rats [ 27 ], found no difference between groups for age at vaginal opening.…”

“…Another study, in which treatment started at postnatal day 21, found no differences in estrous cycling patterns (42 vs 28 rats) after 40 days of treatment and a 15-day drug-free follow-up [ 37 ], whereas a study, in which treatment started at postnatal day 28 and continued for four weeks, with 10 rats per group, reported that all the treated rats showed impaired estrous cycling [ 28 ].…”