Chronic phencyclidine administration induces schizophrenia-like changes in N-acetylaspartate and N-acetylaspartylglutamate in rat brain.
Administration of phencyclidine (PCP) to both humans and animals models the symptoms of schizophrenia. Brain concentrations of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) are reduced in this disease, reflecting neuronal dysfunction. This study investigates the effects in rats of a chronic intermittent regime of PCP on NAA and its precursor N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) in rat frontal and temporal cortex, hippocampus and striatum, determined by HPLC. We found significant PCP-induced deficits of NAA and NAAG only in the temporal cortex; NAAG was significantly elevated in the hippocampus. These changes closely reflect postmortem findings reported in schizophrenia.
Reynolds
Lindsay M
LM
Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK. l.m.reynolds@shef.ac.uk
Cochran
Susan M
SM
Morris
Brian J
BJ
Pratt
Judith A
JA
Reynolds
Gavin P
GP
D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000187:drug effects; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D010622:Phencyclidine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000187:drug effects
D004151:Dipeptides; D006213:Hallucinogens; C027172:isospaglumic acid; D001224:Aspartic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D010622:Phencyclidine