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Methylphenidate-induced chorea

Case report and pharmacologic implications

Departments of Neurological Sciences and Pharmacology, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center and Rush University, Chicago, Illinois.

In a child with minimal brain dysfunction, we found that chorea was related to the major central effect of methylphenidate and probably to the effect of the drug on central catecholaminergic systems. Also, after 3 weeks of treatment with methylphenidate, guinea pigs showed a hypersensitive response to apomorphine, suggesting that chronic administration of methylphenidate leads to hypersensitivity of receptor sites. Chorea beginning shortly after initiation of methylphenidate therapy probably is related to the central dopaminergic effect of the drug; when choreic movements appear after chronic methylphenidate administration, altered responsiveness of striatal dopamine receptor sites may be responsible.

Dr. Weiner's address is Department of Neurology, Rush Medical College, 1753 West Congress Parkway, Chicago, IL 60612.

This work was supported in part by grants from the United Parkinson Foundation and the Boothroyd Foundation, Chicago, Illinois.

Presented in part at the twenty-ninth annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, April-May 1977, Atlanta, Georgia.

Accepted for publication July 5, 1977.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. T. Gay and S. G. Ryan Paroxysmal Kinesigenic Dystonia After Methylphenidate Administration J Child Neurol, January 1, 1994; 9(1): 45 - 46. [Abstract] [PDF]