Phencyclidine animal models of schizophrenia: approaches from abnormality of glutamatergic neurotransmission and neurodevelopment.
Neurochemistry international January 1, 2007 Akihiro Mouri, Yukihiro Noda, Takeshi Enomoto et al.
Phencyclidine (PCP), a drug that blocks NMDA receptors, produces schizophrenia-like symptoms in humans, including positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and cognitive problems. This supports the glutamatergic dysfunction hypothesis of schizophrenia. Adult rodents given repeated PCP show hyperlocomotion (positive symptoms), social deficits, increased immobility (negative symptoms), sensorimotor gating problems, and cognitive impairments; some changes persist after withdrawal. Repeated PCP also causes neurochemical and neuroanatomical changes. Exposure to viral or environmental insults during the second trimester of pregnancy raises schizophrenia risk. Perinatal PCP treatment impairs neuronal development and leads to long-lasting schizophrenia-like behaviors in adulthood. These animal models are useful for testing treatments and studying schizophrenia's mechanisms.