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Immunohistochemical alterations in neuropeptide Y-positive nerve elements in rat cerebral cortex following acute phencyclidine treatment.

K Fukui, Y Kawashima, H Iizumi, H Utsumi, T Nakajima

Neuroreport March 7, 1995 DOI: 10.1097/00001756-199503000-00010 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Experimental study Peer reviewed
Population Rat forebrain
Intervention Phencyclidine (PCP)
Duration Acute treatment
Key findings PCP treatment increased NPY-positive perikarya by 178% and decreased NPY-positive fibers and terminals by 38% in the rat cerebral cortex.

Abstract

Phencyclidine (PCP) is a dissociative drug and has been known to be an antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. We examined possible effects of acute treatment with PCP on neuropeptide Y (NPY) immunoreactive nerve fibres and cell bodies in rat forebrain by immunocytochemistry combined with morphometric analysis. Following the treatment, significant alterations were observed throughout the cerebral cortex, compared with controls. NPY-positive perikarya were increased in number (178%) whereas NPY-positive fibres and terminals were decreased in area (38%). The result suggests that the cortical NPY neuronal system is controlled, at least partly, by glutamatergic inputs via NMDA receptor-mediated mechanisms.