Subchronically applied phencyclidine fails to disrupt prepulse inhibition in rats.
To simulate psychosis in rats, the psychotomimetic agent phencyclidine (PCP, 5.0 mg/kg) was administered either by daily pulsatile injections or by continuous delivery with subcutaneously implanted, PCP-loaded controlled release polymers for a 5 day period. The acoustic startle response (ASR) and the prepulse inhibition (PPI) were then assessed 15 and 60 min as well as 24 h after the PCP application was discontinued. An impaired PPI occurred only under the acute influence of the last PCP injection, i.e. 15 and 60 min after last PCP treatment when it had previously been given in a pulsatile manner but not when it was administered continuously. The ASR to unpaired stimuli after PCP was not modified. These findings suggest that disruption of PPI occurs only under the acute influence of PCP and that PPI deficits are not primarily the consequence of structural brain damage which PCP produces.
Ehrhardt
J
J
Institute of Medical Psychology, Otto-von-Guericke University of Magdeburg, Medical Faculty, Germany.
Sabel
B A
BA
Schroeder
U
U
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004343:Drug Implants; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects*; D010622:Phencyclidine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011605:Psychoses, Substance-Induced; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000187:drug effects
D004343:Drug Implants; D006213:Hallucinogens; D010622:Phencyclidine