Methylphenidate and Dyslipidemia

Abstract

Methylphenidate is a piperidine derivative, structurally related to amphetamines and acts as a CNS stimulant. Methylphenidate has been widely used since 1937 for numerous indications including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, cataplexy (3) and conduct disorder (4) in children and adolescents as well as adults (4). Although it has been indicated for ADHD since 1957 it has gained widespread use during the last two decades (5). Methylphenidate was found to affect brain sterol metabolism in mice by inhibition of the incorporation of its precursors, acetate and glucose, into the brain and by reduction of the brain’s sterol levels (6). This reduction was found to occur within 24 hours in the neuronal cellular membrane, the site of methylphenidate’s action (6).