Abstract
Recently, a novel paradigm has been designed to assess social investigative behaviour in pairs of Sprague-Dawley rats, which involves physical separation whilst ensuring they are able to maintain contact through other social cues. We have modified this set-up in order to assess not just social behaviour but also locomotor activity of the rats. Results showed that the MK-801- (0.3 mg/kg) treated rats displayed reduced social investigative behaviour, hyperactivity as well as reduced attention span. Pretreatment with the phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (3 mg/kg) not only normalised social investigative behaviour but increased it beyond control levels. Pretreatment with clozapine (1, 3 mg/kg) also normalised social investigative behaviour. Both cannabidiol and clozapine inhibited MK-801-induced hyperactivity. However, there were no effects of pretreatment on impairments to attention span. Our findings reinforce several aspects of the validity of the MK-801-induced model of social withdrawal and hyperactivity and also support the use of this novel set-up for further investigations to assess the antipsychotic potential of novel compounds.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Antipsychotic Agents / administration & dosage
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Antipsychotic Agents / therapeutic use*
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Attention / drug effects
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Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / chemically induced
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Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / drug therapy*
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Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / etiology
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Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / prevention & control
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Behavior, Animal / drug effects
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Cannabidiol / therapeutic use*
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Clozapine / administration & dosage
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Clozapine / therapeutic use*
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Disease Models, Animal*
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Dizocilpine Maleate
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Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
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Male
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Motor Activity / drug effects
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Psychomotor Agitation / drug therapy
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Psychomotor Agitation / etiology
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Psychomotor Agitation / prevention & control
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Psychotropic Drugs
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Rats
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Schizophrenia / chemically induced
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Schizophrenia / drug therapy*
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Schizophrenia / physiopathology
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Schizophrenia / prevention & control
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Social Behavior
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Social Behavior Disorders / chemically induced
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Social Behavior Disorders / drug therapy*
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Social Behavior Disorders / etiology
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Social Behavior Disorders / prevention & control
Substances
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Antipsychotic Agents
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Psychotropic Drugs
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Cannabidiol
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Dizocilpine Maleate
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Clozapine