Temporal relationships between the pharmacokinetics of methylphenidate in the human brain and its behavioral and cardiovascular effects

N. D. Volkow, G. J. Wang, S. J. Gatley, J. S. Fowler, Y. S. Ding, J. Logan, R. Hitzemann, B. Angrist, J. Lieberman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

58 Scopus citations

Abstract

Positron emission tomography was used to compare the pharmacokinetics of [11C]methylphenidate in the human brain with the temporal course of the subjective and cardiovascular effects observed after intravenous methylphenidate (0.5 mg/kg). Four subjects were tested twice with [11C]methylphenidate, at baseline and after methylphenidate. All subjects showed almost identical uptake of 11C labeled drug in brain, as well as a very similar decrease in binding of [11C]methylphenidate in basal ganglia, after pretreatment with methylphenidate. In contrast, the magnitude of the behavioral and cardiovascular changes induced by methylphenidate varied among the subjects. The temporal course for methylphenidate effects paralleled closely the pharmacokinetics of [11C]methylphenidate in brain for the perception of 'restlessness' and for changes in systolic blood pressure and heart rate. In contrast, methylphenidate induced 'high', 'anxiety' and changes in diastolic blood pressure decreased rapidly despite long lasting binding of the drug in brain. These results indicate that binding of methylphenidate in brain does not appear to predict individual responses to the drug and that more than one neurotransmitter and/or adaptation process are likely to be involved in the behavioral and cardiovascular effects of methylphenidate.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)26-33
Number of pages8
JournalPsychopharmacology
Volume123
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1996
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Adaptation
  • Dopamine transporter
  • Methylphenidate
  • Pharmacokinetics
  • Positron emission tomography

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmacology

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