Olanzapine interactions with nicotine and mecamylamine in rats: effects on memory function.
Olanzapine is a widely used atypical antipsychotic drug. It is quite effective in reducing psychotic symptoms. However, the syndrome of schizophrenia encompasses more than psychosis. There is a pronounced cognitive impairment among other negative neurobehavioral symptoms. Classic antipsychotic drugs such as haloperidol do not alleviate cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia and have been shown to exacerbate the dysfunction. The atypical antipsychotic drugs have a different profile of receptor actions and may have a different array of actions on cognitive function. The purpose of the current studies was to determine the effects of olanzapine on working memory function as measured by choice accuracy in the radial-arm maze. In determining the cognitive effects of any antipsychotic drug it is critical to determine its interactions with nicotinic manipulations since the great majority of people with schizophrenia smoke cigarettes and alterations in nicotinic receptors have been found in people with schizophrenia. Olanzapine caused a significant working memory impairment. Nicotine attenuated olanzapine-induced memory deficits. It may be the case that nicotinic co-treatment will be useful in addressing the cognitive impairment of schizophrenia.
Levin
Edward D
ED
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA. edlevin@duke.edu
Petro
Ann
A
Beatty
Allison
A
D000818:Animals; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D018782:Maze Learning; D008464:Mecamylamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077152:Olanzapine; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D008464:Mecamylamine; D009538:Nicotine; D000077152:Olanzapine