Effects of methylphenidate ingestion in male mice on the brains of their grandchildren.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder widely observed from childhood to adulthood, with methylphenidate (MPH) used as the first-line treatment. Recent evidence suggests that the preconception paternal environment can affect offspring health, potentially extending to multiple generations. In our previous study, we reported that MPH administration to sires induced decreased anxiety-related behaviors and memory impairment in the F1 generation. To extend these findings and examine the range of transgenerational effects, this study investigated the impact of preconception male MPH exposure on brain gene expression in the F2 generation. Comparative gene expression profiling analysis of the cerebral cortex RNA-seq data from 6-week-old F2 offspring derived from male mice administered with methylphenidate or saline.