Cognitive effects of a single dose of methylphenidate in Parkinson's disease patients using electrophysiological measures

Objectives: Recent studies have suggested that methylphenidate (MPD) may have therapeutic effects in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, primarily on gait and apathy. We examined the cognitive effects of a single 20 mg dose of MPD in non-demented PD patients, using behavioral and electrophysiological measures, in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-dose, cross-over clinical trial study. Methods: To this end, we recorded electroencephalography (EEG) in twenty-two PD patients during the performance of an extended version of a visual oddball task, while patients were in ON state. We compared the processing of predictive versus random targets, and the extent to which predictive sequences are utilized. Two recording sessions (20 mg of MPD or placebo) were performed in each patient, 7-14 days apart, in a doubleblinded, randomized, counterbalanced manner. Results: We found that a single-dose of MPD induced shorter P3b latencies for task-relevant predicted targets in the MPD compared to the placebo session. Conclusions: A single-dose of MPD induced an event-related facilitation of target detection of predicted stimuli, compared to placebo, in non-demented patients with PD. Significance: Our findings suggest that MPD may have beneficial cognitive effects in normotensive patients with PD, by enhancing top-down endogenous control processes, which are altered in PD.