and Methylphenidate Exposure Improves Cognition and Depression and Regulates Anxiety-Like Behavior in AlCl-Induced Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurological illness that causes severe cognitive impairment. AD patients also experience at least one of the neuropsychiatric symptoms including apathy, depression, and anxiety during the course of their life. Acetylcholine esterase inhibitors are the available treatment options to alleviate cognitive deficits, whereas methylphenidate (MPH), a psychostimulant, is considered for the treatment of apathy in AD patients. , a perennial herb, has been potentially known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The present study investigated the potential effects of MPH and in comparison with the standard drug, Donepezil, on cognition, anxiety, and depression in the AlCl-induced mouse model of AD. The animals were divided into eight groups (n = 8, each). The results revealed that the MPH- and -treated groups significantly improved memory impairment, whereas substantially reduced depression and anxiety as compared with other treatment groups. MPH treatment induced an antidepressant effect and increased anxiety-like behavior. Moreover, the AlCl exposure led to the formation of amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques in mice hippocampus; however, none of the tested drugs caused a significant reduction in amyloid burden at the selected doses. The present study suggested the potential of to improve memory as well as neuropsychiatric symptoms in AD. Although improved cognitive abilities, it did not reduce the amyloid plaque burden, which indicates that the memory-enhancing effects of are due to some alternate mechanism that needs to be explored further.