Top

European Journal of Applied Physiology

Published in:

01-04-2018 | Original Article

Predicting the ergogenic response to methylphenidate

Authors: Michael King, Keelyn Van Breda, Dan J. Stein, Kai Lutz, H. G. Laurie Rauch

Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology | Issue 4/2018

Abstract

Purpose

Methylphenidate (MPH) and other stimulants have been shown to enhance physical performance. However, stimulant research has almost exclusively been conducted in young, active persons with a normal BMI, and may not generalize to other groups. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the ergogenic response to MPH could be predicted by individual level characteristics.

Methods

We investigated whether weekly minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), age, and BMI could predict the ergogenic response to MPH. In a double-blind, cross-over design 29 subjects (14M, 15F, 29.7 ± 9.68 years, BMI: 26.1 ± 6.82, MVPA: 568.8 ± 705.6 min) ingested MPH or placebo before performing a handgrip task. Percent change in mean force between placebo and MPH conditions was used to evaluate the extent of the ergogenic response.

Results

Mean force was significantly higher in MPH conditions [6.39% increase, T(25) = 3.09, p = 0.005 118.8 ± 37.96 (± SD) vs. 111.8 ± 34.99 Ns] but variable (coefficient of variation:163%). Using linear regression, we observed that min MVPA (T(25) = −2.15, β = −0.400, p = 0.044) and age [T(25) = −3.29, β = −0.598, p = 0.003] but not BMI [T(25) = 1.67, β = 0.320 p = 0.109] significantly predicted percent change in mean force in MPH conditions.

Conclusions

We report that lower levels of physical activity and younger age predict an improved ergogenic response to MPH and that this may be explained by differences in dopaminergic function. This study illustrates that the ergogenic response to MPH is partly dependent on individual differences such as habitual levels of physical activity and age.

Available only for authorised users

Amorim P, Lecrubier Y, Weiller E et al (1998) DSM-IH-R psychotic disorders: procedural validity of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Concordance and causes for discordance with the CIDI. Eur Psychiatry 13:26–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0924-9338(97)86748-X CrossRefPubMed

Briegleb SK, Gulley JM, Hoover BR, Zahniser NR (2004) Individual differences in cocaine- and amphetamine-induced activation of male Sprague–Dawley rats: contribution of the dopamine transporter. Neuropsychopharmacology 29:2168–2179. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.npp.1300536 CrossRefPubMed

Bull FC, Maslin TS, Armstrong T (2009) Global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ): nine country reliability and validity study. J Phys Act Health 6:790–804CrossRefPubMed

Connell CJW, Thompson B, Turuwhenua J et al (2017) Effects of dopamine and norepinephrine on exercise-induced oculomotor fatigue. Med Sci Sports Exerc 49:1778–1788. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000001307 CrossRefPubMed

Dang LC, Samanez-Larkin GR, Castrellon JJ et al (2016) Associations between dopamine D2 receptor availability and BMI depend on age. NeuroImage 138:176–183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.05.044 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Doherty M, Smith PM (2005) Effects of caffeine ingestion on rating of perceived exertion during and after exercise: a meta-analysis. Scand J Med Sci Sports 15:69–78. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2005.00445.x CrossRefPubMed

Dwyer G, Davis S (2017) ACSM’s. In: Health related physical fitness assessment manual, 3rd edn. Lippincott Williams & Wilkings, Philadelphia, pp 3–7 2008.

Ebada ME, Kendall DA, Pardon M-C (2016) Corticosterone and dopamine D2/D3 receptors mediate the motivation for voluntary wheel running in C57BL/6J mice. Behav Brain Res 311:228–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2016.05.051 CrossRefPubMed

Eisenmann JC, Wickel EE (2007) Estimated energy expenditure and physical activity patterns of adolescent distance runners. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 17:178–188CrossRefPubMed

Ekkekakis P, Lind E (2005) Exercise does not feel the same when you are overweight: the impact of self-selected and imposed intensity on affect and exertion. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 30:652–660. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803052 CrossRef

Ekkekakis P, Hall EE, Petruzzello SJ (2005) Variation and homogeneity in affective responses to physical activity of varying intensities: an alternative perspective on dose–response based on evolutionary considerations. J of Sport Sci 23:477–500. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640410400021492 CrossRef

Erixon-Lindroth N, Farde L, Wahlin T-BR et al (2005) The role of the striatal dopamine transporter in cognitive aging. Psychiatr Res Neuroimage 138:1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2004.09.005 CrossRef

Goldman-Rakic PS, Brown RM (1981) Regional changes of monoamines in cerebral cortex and subcortical structures of aging rhesus monkeys. Neuroscience 6:177–187. https://doi.org/10.1016/0306-4522(81)90053-1 CrossRefPubMed

Hasegawa H, Piacentini MF, Sarre S et al (2008) Influence of brain catecholamines on the development of fatigue in exercising rats in the heat. J Physiol 586:141–149. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2007.142190 CrossRefPubMed

Heyes MP, Garnett ES, Coates G (1985) Central dopaminergic activity influences rats ability to exercise. Life Sci 36:671–677CrossRefPubMed

Hilty L, Jäncke L, Luechinger R et al (2010) Limitation of physical performance in a muscle fatiguing handgrip exercise is mediated by thalamo-insular activity. Hum Brain Mapp 32:2151–2160. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.21177 CrossRefPubMed

Horstmann A, Fenske WK, Hankir MK (2015) Argument for a non-linear relationship between severity of human obesity and dopaminergic tone. Obes Rev 16:821–830. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12303 CrossRefPubMed

Kimko HC, Cross JT, Abernethy DR (1999) Pharmacokinetics and clinical effectiveness of methylphenidate. Clin Pharmacokinet 37:457–470. https://doi.org/10.2165/00003088-199937060-00002 CrossRefPubMed

King M, Rauch LHG, Brooks SJ et al (2017) Methylphenidate enhances grip force and alters brain connectivity. Med Sci Sports Exerc 49:1443–1451. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000001252 CrossRefPubMed

Klass M, Roelands B, Lévénez M et al (2012) Effects of noradrenaline and dopamine on supraspinal fatigue in well-trained men. Med Sci Sports Exerc 44:2299–2308. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e318265f356 CrossRefPubMed

Knab AM, Lightfoot JT (2010) Does the difference between physically active and couch potato lie in the dopamine system? Int J Biol Sci 6:133–150CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Li S-C, Rieckmann A (2014) Neuromodulation and aging: implications of aging neuronal gain control on cognition. Curr Opin Neurobiol 29:148–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conb.2014.07.009 CrossRefPubMed

Marcora SM (2016) Can doping be a good thing? Using psychoactive drugs to facilitate physical activity behaviour. Sports Med 46:1–5. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-015-0412-x CrossRefPubMed

Mathes WF, Nehrenberg DL, Gordon R et al (2010) Dopaminergic dysregulation in mice selectively bred for excessive exercise or obesity. Behav Brain Res 210:155–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2010.02.016 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Meeusen R, De Meirleir K (1995) Exercise and brain neurotransmission. Sports Med 20:160–188. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-199520030-00004 CrossRefPubMed

Meeusen R, Roelands B (2010) Central fatigue and neurotransmitters, can thermoregulation be manipulated? Scand J Med Sci Sports 20 Suppl 3:19–28. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2010.01205.x CrossRefPubMed

Oldfield RC (1971) The assessment and analysis of handedness: the Edinburgh inventory. Neuropsychologia 9:97–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/0028-3932(71)90067-4 CrossRefPubMed

Pan D, Gatley SJ, Dewey SL et al (1994) Binding of bromine-substituted analogs of methylphenidate to monoamine transporters. Eur J Pharmacol 264:177–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/0014-2999(94)00460-9 CrossRefPubMed

Piacentini MF, Meeusen R, Buyse L et al (2002a) No effect of a selective serotonergic/noradrenergic reuptake inhibitor on endurance performance. Eur J Sport Sci 2:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2002.10142578 CrossRef

Piacentini MF, Meeusen R, Buyse L et al (2002b) No effect of a noradrenergic reuptake inhibitor on performance in trained cyclists. Med Sci Sports Exerc 34:1189–1193CrossRefPubMed

Rauch HGL, Schönbächler G, Noakes TD (2013) Neural correlates of motor vigour and motor urgency during exercise. Sports Med 43:227–241. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-013-0025-1 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Rhodes JS, Garland T (2003) Differential sensitivity to acute administration of Ritalin, apomorphine, SCH 23390, but not raclopride in mice selectively bred for hyperactive wheel-running behavior. Psychopharmacology 167:242–250. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-003-1399-9 CrossRefPubMed

Rhodes JS, Hosack GR, Girard I et al (2001) Differential sensitivity to acute administration of cocaine, GBR 12909, and fluoxetine in mice selectively bred for hyperactive wheel-running behavior. Psychopharmacology 158:120–131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s002130100857 CrossRefPubMed

Rhodes JS, Garland T, Gammie SC (2003) Patterns of brain activity associated with variation in voluntary wheel-running behavior. Behav Neurosci 117:1243–1256. https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7044.117.6.1243 CrossRefPubMed

Robbins TW (2000) Chemical neuromodulation of frontal-executive functions in humans and other animals. Exp Brain Res 133:130–138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s002210000407 CrossRefPubMed

Roelands B, Meeusen R (2010) Alterations in central fatigue by pharmacological manipulations of neurotransmitters in normal and high ambient temperature. Sports Med 40:229–246. https://doi.org/10.2165/11533670-000000000-00000 CrossRefPubMed

Roelands B, Goekint M, Heyman E et al (2008a) Acute norepinephrine reuptake inhibition decreases performance in normal and high ambient temperature. J Appl Physiol 105:206–212. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.90509.2008 CrossRefPubMed

Roelands B, Hasegawa H, Watson P et al (2008b) Performance and thermoregulatory effects of chronic bupropion administration in the heat. Eur J Appl Physiol 105:493–498. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-008-0929-x CrossRefPubMed

Roelands B, Hasegawa H, Watson P et al (2008c) The effects of acute dopamine reuptake inhibition on performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 40:879–885. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181659c4d CrossRefPubMed

Roelands B, Watson P, Cordery P et al (2012) A dopamine/noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor improves performance in the heat, but only at the maximum therapeutic dose. Scand J Med Sci Sports 22:e93–e98. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2012.01502.x CrossRefPubMed

Santamaría A, Arias HR (2010) Neurochemical and behavioral effects elicited by bupropion and diethylpropion in rats. Behav Brain Res 211:132–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2010.03.023 CrossRefPubMed

Slifstein M, Kolachana B, Simpson EH et al (2008) COMT genotype predicts cortical-limbic D1 receptor availability measured with [11C]NNC112 and PET. Mol Psychiatry 13:821–827. https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2008.19 CrossRefPubMed

Spencer TJ, Bonab AA, Dougherty DD et al (2010) A PET study examining pharmacokinetics and dopamine transporter occupancy of two long-acting formulations of methylphenidate in adults. Int J Mol Med 25:261–265. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm_00000339 PubMed

Stefansky W (2012) Rejecting outliers in factorial designs. Technometrics 14:469–479. https://doi.org/10.1080/00401706.1972.10488930 CrossRef

Swart J, Lamberts RP, Lambert MI et al (2009) Exercising with reserve: evidence that the central nervous system regulates prolonged exercise performance. Br J Sports Med 43:782–788. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2008.055889 CrossRefPubMed

Treadway MT, Buckholtz JW, Cowan RL et al (2012) Dopaminergic mechanisms of individual differences in human effort-based decision-making. J Neurosci 32:6170–6176. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.6459-11.2012 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Troiano AR, Schulzer M, la Fuente-Fernandez de R et al (2010) Dopamine transporter PET in normal aging: dopamine transporter decline and its possible role in preservation of motor function. Synapse 64:146–151. https://doi.org/10.1002/syn.20708 CrossRefPubMed

Volkow ND, Fowler JS, Wang G et al (2002) Mechanism of action of methylphenidate: insights from PET imaging studies. J Atten Disord 6(Suppl 1):S31–S43CrossRefPubMed

Volkow ND, Wang G-J, Telang F et al (2008) Low dopamine striatal D2 receptors are associated with prefrontal metabolism in obese subjects: possible contributing factors. NeuroImage 42:1537–1543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.06.002 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Wang GJ, Volkow ND, Logan J et al (2001) Brain dopamine and obesity. Lancet 357:354–357CrossRefPubMed

Warren GL, Park ND, Maresca RD et al (2010) Effect of caffeine ingestion on muscular strength and endurance: a meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc 42:1375–1387. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181cabbd8 CrossRefPubMed

Watson P, Hasegawa H, Roelands B et al (2005) Acute dopamine/noradrenaline reuptake inhibition enhances human exercise performance in warm, but not temperate conditions. J Physiol 565:873–883. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2004.079202 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Title: Predicting the ergogenic response to methylphenidate
Authors: Michael King
Keelyn Van Breda
Dan J. Stein
Kai Lutz
H. G. Laurie Rauch
Publication date: 01-04-2018
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology / Issue 4/2018
Print ISSN: 1439-6319
Electronic ISSN: 1439-6327
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-3800-8

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

Predicting the ergogenic response to methylphenidate

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 4/2018

Effect of nicotine on repeated bouts of anaerobic exercise in nicotine naïve individuals

High-intensity interval training in hypoxia does not affect muscle HIF responses to acute hypoxia in humans

Episodic bouts of hyperaemia and shear stress improve arterial blood flow and endothelial function

Effects of sprint interval training on ectopic lipids and tissue-specific insulin sensitivity in men with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Localised cutaneous microvascular adaptation to exercise training in humans

Opinion paper: scientific, philosophical and legal consideration of doping in sports