The effects of the dopamine D2 agonist sumanirole on prepulse inhibition in rats

Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2010 Jun;20(6):421-5. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2010.02.011. Epub 2010 Mar 25.

Abstract

Dopamine agonists reduce prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle in rats. While it is used to predict antipsychotic efficacy, the specific receptor subtypes mediating this effect of dopamine agonists remain unclear. We characterized the effects of sumanirole, a highly selective D2 agonist, on PPI in rats. Sumanirole decreased PPI at 60-120 ms prepulse intervals, and increased PPI at 10-20 ms intervals. PPI deficits were antagonized by low doses of the preferential D2 antagonist L741626, supporting a D2 mechanism of action. Sumanirole is a valuable tool for parsing the role of dopamine receptor subtypes in the regulation of PPI.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acoustic Stimulation
  • Animals
  • Benzimidazoles / pharmacology*
  • Discrimination, Psychological
  • Dopamine Agonists / pharmacology*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Hypothermia / chemically induced
  • Male
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2 / agonists*
  • Receptors, Dopamine D3 / drug effects
  • Reflex, Startle / drug effects*

Substances

  • Benzimidazoles
  • Dopamine Agonists
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2
  • Receptors, Dopamine D3
  • U 95666E