Abstract
Phencyclidine has frequently been used to model schizophrenia in animals. In the present study, the ability of the neuronal selective nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, Nomega-propyl-L-arginine, to block the behavioural effects of phencyclidine in mice was investigated. N(omega)-propyl-L-arginine (20 mg/kg) was found to block both phencyclidine (4 mg/kg)-induced disruption of prepulse inhibition and phencyclidine-induced stimulation of locomotor activity in the mice tested. It is concluded that the NOS-sensitive behavioural effects of phencyclidine in rodents is dependent on neuronal NOS and that NO may play a role in the psychotomimetic effects of phencyclidine.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Acoustic Stimulation
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Algorithms
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Animals
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Arginine / analogs & derivatives*
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Arginine / pharmacology*
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Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
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Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / pharmacology*
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Hallucinogens / antagonists & inhibitors*
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Hallucinogens / pharmacology*
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Male
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Mice
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Motor Activity / drug effects*
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
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Nitric Oxide Synthase / antagonists & inhibitors*
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Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I
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Phencyclidine / antagonists & inhibitors*
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Phencyclidine / pharmacology*
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Reflex, Startle / drug effects*
Substances
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Enzyme Inhibitors
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Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
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Hallucinogens
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N(omega)-propargylarginine
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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Arginine
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Nitric Oxide Synthase
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Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I
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Nos1 protein, mouse
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Phencyclidine