METHYLPHENIDATE EXPOSURE DURING PERIPUBERTAL PHASE AFFECTS LEARNING AND MEMORY OF ADULT RATS

Methylphenidate (MPH) is the active ingredient in Ritalin, although effective treating ofthe attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), its neurostimulation action attractiveamong students order to increase focus or improving student performance. In context Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) concept, states that insults incritical phases development, as peripubertal period, may program organism todysfunctions adulthood. The aim this work was investigate impact peripubertalMPH exposure on learning retrograde memory adult rats. Male Wistar rats wereexposed MPH (5 mg/kg) from post-natal day (PN) 30 until PN60 (MPH). Control animalsreceived 0.9% saline (Sal). At PN60, evaluated true 10 days an eight-armelevated maze at PN120 memory. group showed a delay of61% latency, 100% number errors 200% ofrepetition when compared Sal group, 5 period (p=0.004).After washout PN120, 37% thelatency, 49% reference 600% repetition errorscompared with (p=0.001, p=0.004 p=0.01). Exposure duringperipubertal phase decreases male