Methylphenidate enhances acquisition and retention of spatial memory

Neurosci Lett. 2014 May 1:567:45-50. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2014.03.029. Epub 2014 Mar 27.

Abstract

Psychostimulants containing methylphenidate (MPH) are increasingly being used both on and off-label to enhance learning and memory. Still, almost no studies have investigated MPH's ability to specifically improve spatial or long-term memory. Here we examined the effect of training with 1 or 10mg/kg MPH on hidden platform learning in the Morris water maze. 10mg/kg MPH improved memory acquisition and retention, while 1mg/kg MPH improved memory retention. Taken together with prior evidence that low, clinically relevant, doses of MPH (0.01-1mg/kg MPH) enhance fear memory we conclude that MPH broadly enhances memory.

Keywords: Cognitive enhancement; Fear conditioning; Hippocampus; Mouse; Psychostimulant; Water maze.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Central Nervous System Stimulants / pharmacology*
  • Conditioning, Classical / drug effects
  • Fear
  • Female
  • Male
  • Maze Learning / drug effects
  • Memory / drug effects*
  • Methylphenidate / pharmacology*
  • Mice
  • Orientation / drug effects*
  • Retention, Psychology / drug effects

Substances

  • Central Nervous System Stimulants
  • Methylphenidate