Evaluation of histopathologic and histomorphometric changes of testicular tissue and gonadotropin levels following consumption of methylphenidate in male mice.

BACKGROUND/AIM One of the most common psychiatric disorders in children is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, which is treated extensively by methylphenidate. This study investigates the assessment of the effects of methylphenidate on histopathologic and histomorphometric changes of the testes and serum levels of gonadotropin in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this study, 36 adult male mice were used. After determining their body weights, the animals were divided randomly into 2 experimental groups and 1 control group. The experimental groups received methylphenidate (2 and 10 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) via gavage for a period of 40 days. After evaluation of body weight, general anesthesia was used for taking blood samples from the heart in order to measure testosterone and levels of gonadotropin in serum. For the purpose of weighing the bodies and measuring the thickness of the germinal epithelium, the testes were removed and the possibility of any pathological changes was considered. RESULTS The results showed that methylphenidate could decrease the thickness of the germinal epithelium and body weight significantly, and could increase the levels of spermatogonia and serum gonadotropins and testosterone. Histopathological changes were also seen for vascular dilatation and congestion in interstitial tissue. CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrated that administration of methylphenidate in adulthood may have an effect on spermatogenesis due to the influence of gonadotropin hormones on testis function.