Trisha Painuli

The Effect of Methylphenidate on Mood in Healthy Young Adults

Abstract

Methylphenidate (MPH), a widely prescribed stimulant for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has gathered increasing interest for its potential effects on mood regulation in non-ADHD populations. This study investigated the effects of MPH on mood in healthy young adults, using data from the Radboud Repository. MPH increases dopamine and norepinephrine levels, influencing mood regulation (Arnsten, 2006). While MPH’s cognitive benefits are well-established in ADHD treatment, its mood-related effects in non-ADHD populations are less understood. Previous studies suggest MPH enhances mood and attention via dopaminergic activity (Volkow et al., 2001), though findings on its impact on emotional regulation in healthy individuals remain inconsistent (Clatworthy et al., 2009). A double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design was employed with 100 participants (50 males, 50 females; range: 18–43). Mood was assessed using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and Bond and Lader Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) immediately after MPH administration and again 2–3 weeks later. In this research, I subtracted long term and short term mood scores to collect mood improvement scores for each mood variable group. I conducted paired t-Tests on the  improvement of mood in the methylphenidate group against the placebo group for all mood variables measured, and the significant p-value (*p ≤ .007) was adjusted upon Bonferroni correction (Dunn, 1961). This was done using R programming in R Studio. Results revealed significant increases in positive affect (**p = 0.000696) and alertness (*p = 0.00297) following MPH administration, with sustained improvements observed 2–3 weeks later, suggesting a lasting effect on emotional regulation. Age, sex, and BMI had no significant impact on mood improvement. These findings indicate that MPH positively influences mood in healthy individuals, with prolonged mood benefits. However, further research is necessary to understand MPH’s broader implications beyond its cognitive benefit along with the biomolecular mechanisms involved.