We have previously shown that the non-specific nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-NAME blocks the behavioural effects of phencyclidine, but not d-amphetamine. To characterise the specificity of these effects, we used the specific neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibitor AR-R 17477 in two rat models of psychosis: the prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response and locomotor activity. In...
The effect of various typical (haloperidol) and atypical (clozapine, raclopride, remoxipride) antipsychotics on phencyclidine (PCP)-induced disruption of sensorimotor gating was tested in rats using an acoustic startle paradigm. Clozapine (4-40 mumol/kg), haloperidol (1-5 mumol/kg) and raclopride (1-12 mumol/kg) failed to reverse PCP-induced disruption of prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the...
A series of experiments examined the role of dopamine in the conditioned taste aversion (CTA) produced by 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and d-amphetamine in rats. The CTA induced by MDMA (1.0 mg/kg) was unaffected by the D1 dopamine receptor antagonist SCH23390 (0.3 or 0.6 mg/kg), the D2 receptor antagonist raclopride (0.3 or 0.6 mg/kg), SCH23390 and raclopride combined (both 0.3 or...
Many drugs of abuse such as d-amphetamine support the development of taste aversion in a conditioned taste aversion paradigm. However, it has yet to be established whether methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), an amphetamine-like stimulant, has this property. A direct comparison was made between MDMA and d-amphetamine over a dose range of 0.125-2.0 mg/kg (SC). Two pairings of either drug with...