Apomorphine-induced disruption of prepulse inhibition that can be normalised by systemic haloperidol is insensitive to clozapine pretreatment

Open access
Date
2004-09Type
- Journal Article
Abstract
Rationale
Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle refers to the phenomenon in which a weak prepulse attenuates the startle response to a succeeding intense stimulus. PPI can be disrupted by systemic apomorphine in animals, and reduced PPI has been consistently reported in schizophrenia patients. The ability of the atypical antipsychotic clozapine to reverse apomorphine-induced PPI deficit has been demonstrated in the rat, but has not yet been tested in the mouse. The present study was designed to fill this gap.
Objective and results
We investigated the efficacy of clozapine in reversing apomorphine-induced (2.0 or 2.5 mg/kg, SC) PPI deficit in C57BL6 mice. Clozapine failed to restore PPI disruption in apomorphine-treated mice in two independent laboratories across two dose ranges (1–3 mg/kg, IP, or 3–30 mg/kg, PO), whereas the typical antipsychotic haloperidol (1 mg/kg,IP) completely normalised PPI performance.
Conclusions
Unlike the rat, apomorphine-induced PPI disruption in mice might be instrumental in distinguishing between typical and atypical antipsychotic drugs. This also lends further support to the suggestion that the neuropharmacology of PPI is not identical in the two rodent species. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000161234Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
PsychopharmacologyVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
SpringerSubject
Apomorphine; Clozapine; Haloperidol; Mice; Prepulse inhibition; SchizophreniaOrganisational unit
03418 - Feldon, Joram
Notes
It was possible to publish this article open access thanks to a Swiss National Licence with the publisherMore
Show all metadata