Intrinsic connections between thalamic sub-regions and the lateral prefrontal cortex are differentially impacted by acute methylphenidate.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The thalamus is a major target of dopaminergic projections and is densely connected with the prefrontal cortex. A better understanding of how dopamine changes thalamo-cortical communication may shed light on how dopamine supports cognitive function. Methylphenidate has been shown to facilitate cognitive processing and reduce connectivity between the thalamus and lateral prefrontal cortex.

Aims

The thalamus is a heterogeneous structure, and the present study sought to clarify how the intrinsic connections of thalamic sub-regions are differentially impacted by acute dopamine transporter blockade.

Methods

Sixty healthy volunteers were orally administered either 20 mg of methylphenidate (N = 29) or placebo (N = 31) in a double-blind, randomized, between-subject

SUBMITTER: Gorka AX 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7437544 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature