Haloperidol and clozapine increase neural activity in the rat prefrontal cortex

Neurosci Lett. 2001 Feb 9;298(3):217-21. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3940(00)01765-1.

Abstract

Haloperidol and clozapine have been widely used to alleviate schizophrenic symptoms, but their physiological effects in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are not known. Effects of haloperidol and clozapine on single unit activity were investigated in the medial PFC of anesthetized rats. Injection (intraperitoneal) of haloperidol (1 mg/kg) or clozapine (20 mg/kg) significantly elevated discharge rates of PFC neurons. Considering that hypofrontality is one characteristic of schizophrenic symptoms, these results raise the possibility that enhancement of PFC neural activity contributes to therapeutic effects of haloperidol and clozapine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Action Potentials / drug effects
  • Action Potentials / physiology
  • Animals
  • Antipsychotic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Clozapine / pharmacology*
  • Electrophysiology
  • Haloperidol / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / physiology
  • Prefrontal Cortex / cytology
  • Prefrontal Cortex / drug effects*
  • Prefrontal Cortex / physiology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Schizophrenia / drug therapy
  • Schizophrenia / physiopathology

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Clozapine
  • Haloperidol